Passing On Hiten Mitsurugi ryū
by Warlord Darnell
Summary: Kenshin's brother, Takahiro, has come to Tokyo from Osaka, to pass on the news that Hiko Seijūrō, the man who trained Kenshin, and began to teach Takahiro, died, and the master's last wish was for Kenshin to finish it. Can he do it? In the interesting events that folloow, we see some interesting developments about Kenshin's family as the events catch up. KenshinXKaoru, OCXMegumi
1. Family

_**What's up? This is a little idea I got while reading the manga to Ruoruni Kenshin. It's my first fic for this fandom, so idiot-child-of-mine it may be, please try to love it nonetheless.**_

_**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ruoruni Kenshin; Watsuki does!**_

**Chapter 1: Family**

**Tokyo**

_ The sun rose over in the east, falling upon the first land it saw, Japan. The place was The Land of The Rising Sun for a reason, and that was abundantly clear that morning._

_The heart of the Meiji government; Tokyo was an unusually busy town. At least in the afternoon. In the early morning that it was however, that wasn't quite so. One saw very few signs of life; with the night-time vices coming to an end, peddlers going to sleep, and the people of the morning just waking up, preparing to greet another day in the 11__th__ year of Meiji._

**Kamiya Dojo**

_The sun hit the roof of the Dojo, falling through the material that made up the walls, shining to wake everyone up. One by one they rose, first Himura Kenshin, then Kamiya Kaoru. _

_However, the other two inhabitants of the dojo, Myōjin Yahiko, and Sagara Sanosuke, both remained asleep, too lazy to bother waking up._

**Kenshin**

He rubbed his eyes as he sat up, still feeling half-asleep. He mostly wanted to go back to bed, yet he knew that chores had to be done. It was the one thing that made his stay welcome with Kaoru-dono.

Personally however, he wanted to go home and visit his family. He couldn't help but remember how much he enjoyed being back in Osaka, in his little village he grew up in.

Getting dressed, he wondered how things had changed since he was last home. It had to have been at least since he was 16, when a break in the revolution and his passing by allowed him to visit.

He remembered his little brother, Takahiro, who had been only 4 when he'd visited. He couldn't help but remember the last thing his little brother said to him. Or the entire visit for that matter.

As he was making the tea, he couldn't help but flashback to it.

**Osaka-12 Years Ago**

_Kenshin made his way down the same used road he left on only two years before._

_The dirt and gravel crunched beneath his shoes, with the occasional pebble wedging itself between his sole and the sandal._

_As he walked however, he began to pass a certain field that was all-too-familiar._

_It seemed that Kale was in season, as that was growing out in the fields. He couldn't help but smile at the workers out in his family's land, working like they always had._

"_Kenshin-dono's back!" a worker shouted, the first to say something._

_As he walked past, he couldn't help but hear the word spread._

_ As he made the road up to his family's house, a rather modest yet expensive house, he couldn't help but marvel at the place he grew up in. _

_ The house was only one floor, yet quite large. About 6 rooms, taking up roughly a quarter of an acre in area._

_ It was also situated on a rather rocky piece of ground. Part of it was raised on stilts, another was on a piece of ground._

_ Right in the middle, were the familiar three grey stone steps one walked up to get inside._

_ He climbed them in an instant, and immediately came upon the door. _

_At this point, he could already smell his mother's cooking, the usual noodle soup that she always made. This one was fish!_

_ Sliding the door open, he announced "Mama-chama, this son's home"_

"_Ken-chan" his mother replied, running from the kitchen in the next room to greet her son, wrapping him in a big hug._

_ Himura Kotone was tall, and her son was a mirror image of her. In her Kimono that she always wore, she practically matched the walls of the house, both having the same pattern._

_ "Is the war over?" Kotone asked "Is my first-born son finally staying home?"_

_ "This one still has a war to fight in" Kenshin replied "The revolution is moving near the area, and this one thought a visit would be good."_

_ "Takahiro-chan wishes to see you Ken-chan" Kotone replied "Takahiro, Kenshin's home!"_

_ "Brother's home!" a child's voice shouted from down the hall. The stomping footsteps that followed revealed yet another one of Kotone's red-haired sons. _

_ About 3 ft 5 inches, Himura Takahiro looked more childish, with mussed hair and missing teeth, than the little brother of Hitokiri Battosai. _

_ "Kenshin-chama, you're back!" Takahiro cheered, wrapping his big brother in a hug around the legs, all he could reach up to._

_ Kenshin tousled his brother's hair, "This one has missed you"_

"_How long will you be staying Ken-chan?" Kotone inquired._

_ "Only a few hours will this one be staying." Kenshin sighed "This one prefers his mother's cooking rather than that of the camp cook's. This one is only able to stay for lunch."_

_ He felt his little brother fall to his knees in disappointment._

_He then noticed the smell of his mother's cooking wafting through the air._

_ "Ken-chan, I believe lunch is ready" his mother announced "I made your favorite, with fish"_

_ "This one is hungry" Kenshin admitted "Let's eat please."_

**#**

_ With lunch finished, Kenshin couldn't help but smile at how full he was. It had been forever since he'd had a home-cooked-meal._

_ "Mama-chama, your cooking is as good as always" he complemented, belching out loud out of respect._

_ "Thank you Ken-chan" Kotone replied "It's great to have the whole family together. Is there any way you can stay for dinner?"_

_ "Stay this one cannot" Kenshin sighed "This one must return to the army to make way to Edo" _

_ With that, he got up, and began to make his way back to the door. "This one had fun visiting though"_

_ On the way out of the door to the hall, Takahiro spoke up._

"_Hey big brother!" Takahiro yelled. "I'm going to be as good as you are someday. Soon, I'll be training with Master Hiko Seijūrō, and learn the Hiten Mitsurigi-Ryu, just like you did."_

_ "Since when has this been going on?" Kenshin asked "This one did not remember telling Takahiro-chan about that"_

_ "Takahiro idolizes you Ken-chan" Kotone sighed "He wants to be just like his big brother"_

_ A quick glance showed Takahiro finishing up his bowl of noodle soup._

"_This one has to go now" Kenshin sighed. With that, he left, making his way back to the camp, and back to the war"_

**xXxxXx**

As the tea finished, Kenshin couldn't help but wonder what Takahiro was doing right now.

If he remembered correctly, he was six when he went to learn from Master Seijūrō, and that the man only took in students when they were really young.

_"Great Kami!_" he thought to himself _"Master Seijūrō has got to be at least 40 by now."_

"The tea's ready!" He announced, walking inside "Come and get it"

Kaoru stalked into the room, tired and rubbing her eyes.

"This one wonders how you slept Kaoru-dono" Kenshin quipped, pouring a cup for her.

"I slept fine Kenshin" she replied, relieving him of the cup and downing it "I couldn't help but wonder one thing"

"And what would that be?" He asked, pouring her another cup.

"Where's your family in all of this?" she asked "I can't imagine that they'd think you were dead by now"

"This one's family is…" he managed, stopping in the middle of the sentence. He had no clue how his family was doing, and the worst part was that it was bothering him.

"You're family is what Kenshin?" Kaoru asked "Answer me!"

"This one does not know of how his family is doing" He admitted "Though that is on this one's mind today"

"Well," Kaoru replied "they're probably wondering where you are. I imagine your mother is still worried sick."

"This one has no clue as to that" Kenshin admitted "though this one does miss his mother's cooking every so often. This one is curious as to how his brother is also."

"You have a brother?" Kaoru exclaimed "That's impossible!"

"This one does have a brother" Kenshin replied, before counting to himself on his fingers "This one's brother should be coming of age soon"

"You're kidding!" Kaoru replied "You can't possibly have a brother who is of age!"

"Would you prefer him to be a bit younger?" Kenshin asked.

**xTx**

_ Out in Tokyo however, the very same person indeed was walking down the streets. _

_ He had red hair just like his older brother, with black on his clothing and red hair falling down to his shoulders._

_ He carried a sword at his hip, hardly used, still in the sheath. He also carried with him a scroll, sealed with Master Seijūrō of the Hiko Hiten Mitsurigi-Ryu school of Osaka._

_ And boy was he lost._

**Himura Takahiro**

Coming upon Yamato Street for the third time, he sighed.

He swore that he'd been here before, and he was nowhere near finding where Kenshin was staying.

He sighed, before taking a look around.

He figured it wouldn't hurt to ask for directions to his destination. It wasn't like he could find it on his own.

He bumped into a person passing by, a tall woman in a green robe of a doctor, with long, thick black hair.

"I'm so sorry" the woman replied, before looking up, "Why Ken-San, it's so good to see you!" she paused "I like how you cut your hair"  
"You must have me mistaken for someone else I'm afraid" Takahiro replied "Is there any chance that you know where the Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu Dojo is at?"

"Why just go down Garimoto Avenue for about five miles" the woman replied "You can't miss it."

"Thank you" Takahiro replied, walking backwards some "I'm glad you could help me"

He continued to walk once he turned around.

"I hope Kenshin-Chama is still there" he mumbled, turning on  
Garimoto Avenue and continuing to walk.

**Kenshin**

As he was eating breakfast, he couldn't help but wonder what Takahiro was doing now.

He hadn't been home in twelve years; he could only imagine what happened to the guy. He could probably still be learning under Master Akio, if the old man was still alive.

A knock on the door stirred him from his thoughts.

"Who could be knocking at this early?" Kaoru asked, looking up "Whoever it is, go send them off Kenshin"

"Why this one?" he asked

"Because if they're trying to break in, you can fight them off" Kaoru replied "Now go answer the door!"

She proceeded to punch him just as ever, ushering him out of the main room and into the hall, right to the door.

A quick glance ahead showed Yahiko answering the door.

"Who is it?" Yahiko asked, opening the door a crack.

A quick look revealed someone who looked way too familiar, with the features all too similar to his own.

**Takahiro**

The door was answered by a short kid with mussed hair, who appeared to be about 10.

"What are you doing here?" the kid asked.

"I'm looking for my brother," Takahiro replied "I was wondering if he was still here. His name is Kenshin"

"You're lying" the kid replied, before trying to shut the door.

Pausing about halfway through, most likely noting the resemblance, he replied "Prove to me you're Kenshin's brother then"


	2. Brother?

_**Once again, this fic is getting somewhere. I'm curious about what people have to say about it. No reviews yet.**_

_**Once again, just so you know, I'm going off of the manga. In addition, this; I'm going to place it just after the Megumi arc, so that she's established with everyone else, and that I have plenty of room to feature everything I want to.**_

_**That being said, thank you to anyone who reviews this fic, I sure appreciate it. Enjoy…**_

**Chapter 2: Brother?**

**Takahiro**

Very annoyed at this point, he wanted to slap the kid. There was no way that he should have to prove to a kid that he's Kenshin's brother.

The fact that they resemble each other to that point should be enough. It's easy if you could put them side by side.

"If you're Kenshin's Brother," The kid replied "Then what's his family name?"

"It's Himura kid." Takahiro replied "Now let me in"

"Fine" the kid replied, opening the door "Kenshin, some guy claiming to be your brother is here!" The kid yelled that phrase to the left.

**Kenshin**

As Yahiko was opening the door, this quickly revealed the one person who could be his brother. The young man at the door looked a lot like he did at sixteen.

When Yahiko yelled out for him, loud enough to rival the noon-bang, it broke his train of though.

"Takahiro-Chan?" He asked, walking up to the man at the door.

**Takahiro**

He saw Kenshin walk inside.

"Kenshin-chama" he yelled, running up to his brother, and wrapping him in a hug "It's so good to see you. I've spent the past year and a half trying to find you"

"Why did you try to find this one?" Kenshin asked "this one had thought you were going to train with Master Seijūrō"

"That I did" he sighed "However, he died about a year and a half ago."

"What?" Kenshin exclaimed "How did he die?"

"Typhus" Takahiro sighed "he caught it off a westerner who purchased some pottery from him."

"How is it that you're here then?" the kid asked.

"You know kid" Takahiro replied "it's very rude to eavesdrop on other people's conversations."

"Whatever" The kid sighed, walking off.

"Who is he?" Takahiro asked, turning to Kenshin.

"That's Yahiko" Kenshin explained "He's a student here."

"Well, I came so you could complete my training" Takahiro explained "It was Master Seijūrō's dying wish."

"How can this be possible?" Kenshin asked, "This one wants to see proof"

"It's right here in this letter he had me deliver" Takahiro explained, handing the scroll to Kenshin "He wrote, signed, and sealed it himself"

**Kaoru**

As she waited in the other room, she wondered what could be taking Kenshin so long to answer the door.

She set down her third glass of tea, got up, and walked into the hallway.

This revealed Kenshin talking to someone who appeared to be a younger version of himself?

Indeed, a red-haired young man with a striking resemblance to Kenshin was standing right there, talking to him.'

The only difference was the lack of scar, the fact that his hair went down only a small amount past his shoulders, and a differing fashion style made up for the difference.

"Hey Kenshin, what's taking so long?" she yelled, thinking of a response for the situation.

**Takahiro**

Looking down the hall, he noticed someone new. A girl, about 17 years of age, with black hair in a ponytail, and wearing clothes meant for practicing swords.

He also couldn't help but notice her beautiful green eyes, fit for an angel.

"Who are you?" The girl asked, pointing at him.

Before he could answer, Kenshin wrapped his arm around him and replied "Kaoru-dono, this one would like to introduce his brother, Himura Takahiro."

"B-brother?" Kaoru (He guessed that was her name) managed.

"Indeed." Kenshin replied.

"It's nice to meet you Kaoru-San" Takahiro replied, before proceeding to bow in politeness.

"It's nice to meet you too Takahiro-san" Kaoru replied, room-brightening smile on her face.

"Is there any chance that there is something to eat around here?" Takahiro asked "I've been walking all day and all night from Nagasaki and I haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday."

At this, his stomach gave a resounding "GLURCH" that filled the room, louder than the kid's yell.

The churning also made his stomach feel like it was eating itself from the inside.

"Sounds like this one's brother needs a meal" Kenshin commented "Why don't I make some Ogahi?" Kaoru suggested.

"That sounds great!" Takahiro exclaimed.

"What's really great to this one is that Kaoru-dono's cooking will be almost as good as Megumi-dono's to his starving brother!" Kenshin joked.

"Who's Megumi?" Takahiro asked.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru exclaimed "Why did you have to say that?"

"I frankly don't care who cooks" Takahiro sighed "As long as I eat something before my stomach eats itself."

With that, the stomach of the Battōsai's little brother growled even louder than before, shaking the walls of the dojo.

"I'll go make a few rice balls to tide you over while Kaoru-dono cooks" Kenshin replied to Takahiro "Feel free to help yourself to the tea I made this morning."

**xxXxxxXxx**

_After a short while, the smell of Ogahi filled the dojo, signifying a finished, yet very lousy, cooked dish at the hands of Kaoru._

_ However, some practice had improved her skills some, the result made a slightly appetizing aroma that wafted through the air, waking up the Fight Merchant from his sleep._

**Takahiro**

With the plate of Ogahi presented at the small table, he immediately took it as a cue to dig in. He didn't care if that was punishable by death, he was literally starving and would eat until he was full.

Even if it meant shoveling it in like there was literally no tomorrow.

"Slow down hiro-chan," Kenshin suggested "It's not like it's going to be taken from you."

Barely able to hear his brother's words however, in large part due to the satisfying of a very primal survival-urge; hunger.

"I've never seen someone eat so much of my cooking in my entire life!" Kaoru exclaimed.

At this, Takahiro paused, letting up on his fury of eating to take a drink from the cup of tea that he poured.

"This one imagines you ate both Master Seijūrō and Mama-chama out of house and home" Kenshin admitted.

"Master Seijūrō always told me to eat at home" Takahiro explained "He said there's no way he'd cook a large meal for me, saying I constantly ate like a starving horse."

"I have to admit" Kaoru replied "the amount you probably eat makes Yahiko-baka seem like a little peckish"

Takahiro did not respond however, but rather, continued to eat more Ohagi. He'd already eaten a third of the plateful, and had no plans on stopping.

**Kenshin**

Judging by the way Takahiro was eating, he imagined that reaching for a piece might be a bad idea for the sake of his hand. He'd had it sliced and cut, yet never once bitten, and that wasn't something he wanted to try.

"How did your mother feed him?" Kaoru whispered in his ear "He eats like he's been without food for three days."

"This one has no idea" Kenshin whispered back "The last time this one saw Takahiro-chan was when his little brother was four, and he himself was sixteen"

"Then what's he doing here?" Kaoru asked "I doubt he wanted to track you down just to visit"

"He said this one is to complete the training begun by Master Seijūrō" Kenshin replied. "This one wonders if that is the case of the letter his brother carries"

"Ask him about it" Kaoru whispered, elbowing him in the ribs.

"Okay" Kenshin replied "ask of the letter this one shall"

"Good" Kaoru finalized.

He cleared his throat.

"Takahiro-chan," Kenshin asked.

**Takahiro**

He looked up from his food "Yes Kenshin-chama?" he replied

"Perhaps this one can see the letter from Seijūrō-sensei now?" Kenshin asked.

"Of course" he replied, reaching for the scroll, and handing it to Kenshin.

Kenshin proceeded to take scroll, and using his finger, remove the seal, and start to read over the letter.

**Kenshin**

Opening the letter up, he first went to make sure this was Master Seijūrō's handwriting.

The man had a very specific style, and this was easily told by looking at the radicals on certain characters.

Master Seigūrō's radicals were always curved slightly, the easiest way to see his handwriting.

All of the radicals on his letters were curved, to the very same extent. And to top it off, the dots were also ovals, yet another sign of his master's handwriting.

And it read:

"**Dear Kenshin-baka.**

** By the time you are reading this, I am long since dead. I do not ask you to cry over that fact, because crying is not fit for Hiten Mitsurigi-ryū. **

** As you have been told, I died of typhus. Your master always made pottery, and when a westerner came and purchased some, I caught it off of him.**

** In my death, I leave only the regret of not finishing your training, and that of your idiot brother's.**

** As is my dying wish, is that you finish what I have already started. I have taught him the basics of the style, including how to read people's movement.**

** The rest of his training, featuring all of the techniques, is up to you. **

** I ask that you train him in the way I trained you, as to keep the teaching authentic. **

** This is my dying wish, and I ask you grant it.**

**Signed **

** Hiko Seijūrō IXV**"

Indeed, the letter had come from his master.

**Takahiro**

He watched Kenshin read the letter.

"Well?" he asked, "will you teach me?"

"This one will indeed finish the instruction of his master" Kenshin replied "Takahiro-chan's training shall begin in three days. On Monday, with the start of the new week and the new month"

"Thank you so much Kenshin-Sensei" Takahiro replied "I promise I won't disappoint you."

"I guess I'll go prepare your room then" Kaoru announced "I'll be right back when it's ready"

With that, she got up, and made her way down the hall.

"This one wonders how his little brother found him" Kenshin asked.

"I had heard rumors of 'Battōsai' in Tokyo, and decided to follow there. I remember hearing rumors about a man who beat up the Tokyo sword corps during my travel there, and the description fit you, and I found out about the Kamiya dojo." Takahiro explained.

"Well," Kaoru announced "Your room is ready. It's the third room, second left from this hall"

"Thank you Kaoru-san" Takahiro replied "I'm going to take a short nap. I've been traveling all day and all night."

He yawned, and got up.

Takahiro walked down the hall, wondering which door was to his room.

"Third door on the second left, third door on the second left" he mumbled to himself.

Taking the second left, he yawned once more.

Last he checked, there had already been two more doors.

Coming upon what he thought to be the third door, he slid open the panel.

This revealed the strangest things inside. On a pedestal, made up into a small shrine, were the remains of a Zanbato that had been sliced in half.

"_Interesting room I get_" he thought to himself, walking inside.

After 3 steps however, he tripped over something, falling face-firsts onto the floor.

"What's your problem?" A voice yelled

**Sanosuke**

Jarred from his sleep, he rolled over.

At first glanse, it seemed that Kenshin had just tripped over him?

**Takahiro**

Turning around, he saw a man in a bed-pallet, about 19, with messy black hair that had dark-brown highlights as the bangs in front, held up by a red headband.

"Kenshin?" the man asked.

"No," Takahiro replied "Kenshin's in the other room."

"Who are _you_ then?" the man replied.

"My name is Himura Takahiro," he introduced "I've come here be trained by my brother Kenshin"

"Wait a second," The man replied, getting up "You're telling me that you're Kenshin's brother?"

"That's right" Takahiro replied "And who might you be?"

"My name is Sagara Sanosuke" The man quipped "or as I'm also known, Zanza the Fight Merchant. Is there any way I can fight you, if you're anything like your brother."

"I'm currently looking for my room" Takahiro yawned "I've been traveling since yesterday morning nonstop"

"Your room is the one next door" Sanosuke replied "I heard Kaoru-baka do some stuff in there."

"Thank you" Takahiro replied "Sorry I woke you up"

"If it wasn't you, then it would have been the noon-bang" Sanosuke explained.

With that, Takahiro left the room, shutting the door behind him, before moving on to the room next door.

This one seemed more like it. There was a bed-pallet already set up.

With that, he set his sword against the wall, and curled up in the bed. He'd been traveling too long, and needed to sleep. With that, he surrendered to the morning.


	3. Megumi

_**What's up people? I've got to say; being a beta is kind of fun. I really enjoy the honor that Bearybeach has given me. **_

_**However, let's just say that it isn't the same as writing something yourself. The fact that this fic only has one regular reviewer kind of makes me sad; I don't want to be sad for that.**_

_**So please, review when you're done…**_

**Chapter 3: Megumi**

**Kenshin**

With Takahiro having gone to sleep in his room, he sighed, looking over the note once again.

The fact that Master Seijūrō was dead made him wonder what it all meant. If there was any way that the man would die, it would either be of old age, by his apprentice, or perhaps in an accident. Never did he imagine disease as a cause of death.

That being said, breakfast had almost been skipped.

Looking down, he saw the Ogahi, sitting there on the plate.

Kaoru's cooking was mediocre, yet hunger gave rise over preference.

With that, he took one of the balls of bean jam, and stuffed it in his mouth.

Indeed, Kaoru's cooking improved with each batch.

That being said, the plate wasn't going anywhere.

He took another piece of Ogahi, and another, getting in what soon became a full breakfast.

**Later…**

**Takahiro**

With the sound of a bang startling him, he sat up quickly, looking around.

Everything seemed okay, despite having just heard a cannon go off.

The room seemed intact, and he could smell no traces of smoke.

Looking at his pocketwatch, it read at the 12:00 place.

"That must be the noon-bang" he sighed, slipping out of the sheets and getting up.

He stretched, and walked out of his room. Walking down the hall, he saw Kenshin and Sanosuke talking about something.

"Look who's awake" Kenshin replied "This one wonders if Takahiro-chan slept good."

"I slept fine" he admitted. "I'm wondering if there's lunch being made."

"This one was going to make lunch for the dojo" Kenshin replied "Yet Kaoru-dono wished to make lunch instead. She said something about cooking practice."

"I'm wondering what you're doing here" Sanosuke admitted "How is it that you're Kenshin's brother. He can't be more than 20."

"Kenshin-chama is 28 if I remember correctly" Takahiro answered "He's twelve years my senior. I'm currently 16. That puts him at 28."

"Wow." Sanosuke replied "I never realized that. It's amazing."

There was a knock at the door to the Dojo.

"This one wonders who that could be." Kenshin replied.

Before any of the trio could get up to answer the door, there was the sound of it opening, and the sound of rushed footsteps.

Then, turning the corner, was the most beautiful woman Takahiro had ever seen.

She wore a green doctor's tunic, over a tan dress. The tunic had two tassles on it, just like what a doctor would have.

She had long black hair that went down to her waist, with two locks draped in front. In addition, she had spiky bangs, partially concealing her gorgeous brown eyes.

She had full, red lips, either from lipstick or naturally; the difference indiscernible to Takahiro.

"Ken-san, you won't believe who I found in the…" Was all she managed, before glancing at Takahiro, silencing herself.

"Kon'ichiwa" Takahiro greeted, standing up, and bowing "I remember you from the market. I would have never found this place had I not asked you for directions." He paused on the way up "I never got your name though."

"My name is Takani Megumi" the woman replied "And yours is?"

"Himura Takahiro" He replied "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Himura?" Megumi replied "You wouldn't be related to Ken-san by any chance now would you?"

"Indeed," Kenshin replied, answering for him "Takahiro-chan is this one's little brother."

"Well," Takahiro sighed "I had come to have my training completed by my Brother. Kenshin-chama is going to teach me starting Monday."

"Is that true Ken-san?" Megumi asked "I had no idea that you had such a handsome brother."

She walked up to Takahiro and stroked his chin, running her smooth fingers across his face.

He immediately felt warm inside, like he had just had sake, yet the feeling was spreading all over.

"How about I take you home?" Megumi sighed seductively into Takahiro's ear, at stage-whisper level.

In his mind, he literally melted into a pile of goo. In reality, he simply smiled and sigh-moaned.

"This one wishes his little brother to stay here." Kenshin announced "He has several closing things for his little brother's training to take care of. Perhaps another time though."

"Do you really want that?" Megumi asked, wrapping Takahiro's head in her arms "Come with me, and I'll take care of you."

**Sanosuke**

As much as he didn't care for Megumi, he had to admit, the scene was kind of funny. Seeing her all over Takahiro was making him laugh out loud. It was like watching a comedy.

"Sanosuke-dono" Kenshin whispered "Is something like this supposed to happen?"

"I think she's got a thing for red-haired men" Sanosuke joked "Just like old times eh?"

**Takahiro**

Head wrapped in Megumi's arms, he felt like he was in heaven. It was almost impossible to imagine how he had the woman of his dreams all over him.

"I have to go to the market again" Megumi sighed, slipping something into his hand "Come to the address if you ever feel like you need to be entertained."

With that, Megumi walked out of the dojo with her cat-like grace, seductively finishing the job.

"Takahiro, you're all right" Sanosuke commented, clapping him on the back.

"Now off to get you a job" Kenshin announced.  
"Why do I need a job?" Takahiro asked "Can't I simply learn from you?"

"If you have a job that requires manual labor," Kenshin explained "Then you'll get strong. The stronger you get, the better you will be with Hiten Mitsurigi Ryū. It's simple really."

"So do you have anything in mind?" Takahiro asked "I highly doubt I can work most jobs."

"This one may have something for you" Kenshin replied "He remembers saving a certain rickshaw company's owner once."

**Tanaka's Rickshaws**

_ At the edge of Tokyo, stood a building, descript, with some rather soddy upkeep._

_ The sign said "Tanaka's Rickshaws", and a look around showed the parking for several of them._

_ All around, in a small lot, were numerous rickshaws, sitting, waiting for use._

_ Inside the building, was a small office, where Saburo Tanaka sat, filing out paperwork, and counting the money made._

**Saburo**

Judging by the look of things, it wasn't going to be easy. When he'd initially purchased the equipment, he thought everything was going to be fine. That he was going to have to hire tons more people, or else sell the business.

"What am I going to do?" he asked, sighing, resting his head on the tons of papers.

There was a knock at the door.

**Takahiro**

He was curious as to why Kenshin had brought him out here. This place didn't look like a thriving business, and if anything, it looked like a dump.

If he was going to be able to get a job, he would want a place that had made some money.

He wondered why Kenshin had even bothered with knocking.

"Kenshin-chama," Takahiro asked "Why are we here?"

"This one remembers a favor owed by the owner" Kenshin explained "If any job was guaranteed, it would be this one."

The door slid open, and out stepped a man, rather portly, who was balding, and had blue eyes. He looked like he was under a lot of stress.

"Why Kenshin-san" the man announced "What could you be doing here?"

"This one is here to request a job" Kenshin explained. "He remembers Saburo-dono owed him a favor"

"You want a job?" the man replied.

"Not this one," Kenshin explained "But rather for his younger brother, Takahiro-chan"

"Well," the man, Saburo he assumed replied "I've been looking for more rickshaw drivers." He paused "We hire shifts on a bi-daily basis. You can have either Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; or Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays."

"This one thinks that Tuesday shifts are good" Kenshin explains "Takahiro-chan has training on the other days."

"Well, that sounds fine" Takahiro admitted "I'm wondering how this has to do with training."

"Working a rickshaw is quite the workout" Saburo explained "If you're planning on training, it's quite the supplement."

"Well then," Takahiro cheered "When can I start sir?"

"You can start next Tuesday" Saburo replied "be here at six in the morning for the orientation, and you can begin your shift at seven."

"This one guesses he'll see you then Saburo-dono" Kenshin explained.

"I've got business to work out at the moment." Saburo explained "feel free to come by again sometime."

With that, Saburo closed the door behind him, going back inside.

Takahiro turned to Kenshin "I hope I can keep all of the money from work"

"This one has no interest in his little brother's earnings" Kenshin explained "Just that his little brother becomes strong. Training begins on Monday."


	4. The Training Begins

_**So I'm back at it again! I can't stop writing this story; I love it. I truly think that if anything were to happen to this story, that I would go mad. I can see some very big things happening in the future with it. So just you wait and see.**_

_**With that; please enjoy and leave me some critique in the form of a review; I rather enjoy it…**_

**Chapter 4: The Training Begins  
**

* * *

As the next three days passed uneventfully, things seemed to remain the same at the dojo.

However, Monday would roll around sooner or later, ushering the beginning of Takahiro's training.

* * *

**Takahiro**

He woke up on Monday, completely tired, still wanting to go back to sleep. The only thing that kept him awake was the smell of breakfast, which was either in the form of fish, or rice.

Getting dressed, he made his way outside. Indeed, there was Kenshin, cooking some fish on a spit, with two bowls of rice cooking also.

"Breakfast?" Takahiro asked, mouth completely dry.

"This one feels his apprentice and he should get a great start to the day." Kenshin explained "Thus Takahiro-chan should wait patiently for the meal to be finished."

Kenshin smiled, and turned back to his food.

"Whatever" Takahiro sighed.

Five minutes passed, before breakfast was finally ready. At this point, Takahiro felt like he could eat a horse.

"This is really good" he complimented, biting into the fish.

"This one takes pride in his cooking when he has to." Kenshin replied "Eat up Takahiro-chan, it's all for you."

Kenshin simply grabbed a single fish and sat down to eat.

An open invitation to eat his heart out was perfect, and so Takahiro proceeded to finish all of Kenshin's cooking easily.

"Now that you're finished" Kenshin replied "This one shall begin your training."

"And how will that go?" Takahiro asked.

"Drop and give this one 25 pushups!" Kenshin shouted, serious look on his face now, equivalent to the death-glare.

Takahiro just stood there for a moment, confused.

"This one said to do pushups!" Kenshin added, yelling emphasis.

"Yes Kenshin-sensei!" Takahiro replied, dropping to the floor to carry them out.

The pushups felt rather hard to do since he hadn't done any real training or workout in over a year, spending all of that time walking from town to town.

When he was finished, he was already winded.

"Now that you're done," Kenshin replied "This one shall begin teaching technique" he paused "Pick up a bokutō from the wall, and come at this one."

"Yes Kenshin-sensei!" Takahiro shouted, running to pick up one of the training swords from the wall, and grasp it in his hand.

He wondered how to attack Kenshin. He wanted to use a technique that would impress him, yet at the same time, be easy to accomplish.

Unfortunately, besides the basics of Kenjutsu, all Master Seijūrō had taught him was Kūshū, or Air Strike, the basic of jumping techniques.

He figured it would be enough, and with such, proceeded to get a running start on Kenshin.

About halfway there, he jumped, full force through his legs to the air, and proceeded to strike down on Kenshin.

Before he could even blink, he saw that Kenshin had drawn his sword, a Sakabatō, and blocked his Kūshū.

Upon landing the block, Kenshin flipped his wrist, sending Takahiro flying into the wall in the rightwards direction of the flick.

"Ouch." Takahiro sighed calmly, rubbing a lump that appeared on the back of his head.

"This one finds your Kūshū to be rather basic, with no elaboration in speed to vary the strike." Kenshin explained, sheathing his sword "Had this one used the very same move, the least he would have gotten in were three slashes, or one moving-past slash."

"I take it my skills are terrible" Takahiro sighed, getting up, lump having gone down.

"Your skills are worse than Yahiko-kun's" Kenshin admitted, telling it like it was "However, there is nothing we cannot fix with conditioning and technique mastering." At this point, a smile was back on Kenshin's face.

"So I take it I won't learn a new technique for a while?" Takahiro asked.

"Not for at least two weeks" Kenshin replied "At any rate, this one will have you work on your speed, stamina, and strength. It is a must if you are to master Hiten Mitsurigi-Ryū."

"So how do I begin?" Takahiro asked.

"Today, you shall start by running laps around the dojo" Kenshin replied "You may stop for lunch and when the sun goes down."

"Of course Kenshin-sensei" he replied, walking out of the dojo, setting the Bokutō down on the shelf.

With that, upon entering outside, he proceeded to run laps around the dojo, stopping not for a moment, but keeping up an incredible sustained speed that would impress Kenshin.

**Kenshin**

Watching Takahiro run the laps around the dojo, he sighed, dusting off his hands.

At this rate, he could get some chores done. He doubted the boy could keep up his rate of running for very long. If he'd give it an estimate, it would be about three minutes from right then.

There was laundry to be done, and there was also tea to be made. This was a busy day.

He took to outside at the well, where all of the laundry was in a bucket. He knew that there was something to get done today. Training could be a side task.

He removed the boards from the well, hair blown back as Takahiro ran past, creating a trailwind that made things blow by.

"So this is how you train your apprentice" Kaoru's voice came from behind.

Turning around, it indeed revealed Kaoru, standing in her training clothes.

"This one needs to condition his apprentice further before further techniques can be taught." Kenshin explained "Having Takahiro-chan run laps around the dojo until lunch should be a great way to start."

"How bad was he?" Kaoru asked "Was he really that bad."

"This one believes that Yahiko-kun could easily beat him." He admitted, "It has apparently been a long time since Takahiro-chan last trained for real."

"Well," Kaoru replied "If you believe that is necessary, then go ahead. Remember that he should work out himself too."

Just as usually predicted, Takahiro was seen simply jogging past the well. It was as if he'd been sapped of most of his speed.

"Does there happen to be a way to work out his strength?" Kenshin whispered to Kaoru.

"I believe the dojo needs a new fence." Kaoru replied "I can easily hire a woodcutter to oversee the work and provide materials."

"This one finds that too time consuming" Kenshin replied "This one would rather his apprentice do something easy."

"Well," Kaoru replied "There's a tree over there with a branch he can do pull-ups on. If that doesn't work, than I don't know what to tell you."

"This one finds that acceptable." Kenshin replied "This one will have his apprentice do pull-ups after the laps are completed."

**Takahiro**

After having run laps for a good three hours, leaving him extremely winded with calves feeling like rocks, he sighed at the sound of Kenshin telling him to "Come and get it"

He walked up to the dining area, where onigiri had been made.

"This one finds your training for the morning satisfactory" Kenshin replied, handing him a package.

"Is that it for the day?" Takahiro asked.

"No," Kenshin replied "At least for the laps it is. This one will have you do pull-ups on the tree branch for the first half, before more push-ups."

"So I won't be doing technique?" Takahiro asked.  
"Not until next week at least" Kenshin sighed "This one finds you need to increase in speed and agility until then."

"So more conditioning Sensei?" Takahiro asked.

"Indeed," Kenshin replied.

With that, Takahiro began to tuck into his lunch, feeling that he had to really step it up if he was to keep up with the routine.

"So you're training him!" a voice objected from behind.

Turning around, this revealed Yahiko.

"You said you wouldn't teach me," Yahiko explained to Kenshin "But you'll teach this guy?"

"I'm only teaching him because this one's sensei already begun his training in Hiten Mitsurigi Ryū and that the dying wish of the sensei was to complete his training."

"I see how it is" Yahiko bragged "You're only teaching him since he already knows."

"Besides," Takahiro explained "According to Kenshin-sensei you're already at a better place in your training than I am with mine."

"Really?" Yahiko laughed "that's hilarious. I wish you the best of luck training him. I give him a month before he quits."

Before Yahiko could even blink, he was immediately dropped to the floor, landing on his butt.

In revelation, this revealed Takahiro having proceeded to trip-kick Yahiko, before a blink of an eye.

"Since when have you done that?" Kenshin explained.  
"A traveler I was with taught me that" Takahiro explained "He was a martial artist and wanted to keep in practice with teaching. He taught me to trip kick, saying that the feet are the foundation of Kenjutsu, and that if one removes the swordsman's feet from the ground, one gains the upper-hand."

"That was a cheap shot!" Yahiko objected, getting back on his feet.

"I practiced it on marauders so that I wouldn't have to use the sword." Takahiro explained "The lone highwaymen were rather easy to get away from. It was the group of bandits I ran into just outside of this town that really got to me."

"Bandits?" Kenshin inquired, confused look on his face.

"They said that their leader was killed by Hitokiri Battōsai, and that they wanted to exact revenge. They kept calling me 'Battōsai' and wouldn't stop chasing me. I was amazed I got away from them, but I think they're still after me, saying they won't let me get away alive."

**Bandits**

_ Coming upon the outskirts of Tokyo, they sighed collectively. The kid had given them good chase, but he wouldn't last. If anything, the fact he was in a city only made things more fun._

_ For the group based upon a cart full of supplies, and the eighteen former samurai, the only thing waiting was their plan of action._

_ Haru Nishimura, the famous samurai of Edo Forest, had led them into battle during the Bakumatsu, yet when they were off in another part of the conflict, he was slain by Hitokiri Battōsai, and they still held it against him._

_ It was only a matter of time before they got him. If anything, the Hitokiri would be a red smear upon the ground when they were done with him. _

_ "So this is it huh?" Hiyabusa's second-in-command, Hama asked, a rather tall and thin type, only skin and bones._

_Yugishaka Hiyabusa, the current leader of the group, was short and fat, wielding a crossbow. _

_ "If anything, it's the rising moment." Hiyabusa replied "He won't stand a chance. Especially if he's turned cowardly."_

_ "He mentioned the Kamiya Dojo" a subordinate announced "He probably is hiding out there."_

_ "Hide your swords and get on the cart" Hiyabusa commanded "We'll find the dojo and raid it for him. He won't get away."_

**Takahiro**

Finished with five helpings of lunch, he belched.

"This one thinks you should get back to training" Kenshin suggested, motioning to a tree-branch out front. "You need to do pull-ups now."

"Yes sensei" Takahiro replied, taking a moment to put his sword down, and walk over to the tree.

The branch was a good foot and a half from the top of his head; it would be a bit difficult to grab.

However, putting the best of his strength into a jump, he easily grasped the branch, and began to do pull-ups.

**Kenshin**

After watching Takahiro do about 20 pull-ups, he closed the door to the dojo. He would watch his apprentice, but seeing the dedication that existed already in his pupil, he knew that there was a good way to trust him.

Besides; the fact that his mother wanted him to be a role model to Takahiro was a good thing for him; sensei was as good a role model as possible.

"_Great Kami!" _He thought "_Okāsan must be worried where this one went to!"_

"So this is how you train your apprentice huh?" Sanosuke asked, walking up "Have him use my pull-up branch, and act like he owns it?"

"What do you mean Sano?" Kenshin asked.

"Your brother claimed ownership of that branch he's using, and if anything; the fact that he already has Megumi in the bag is making me just want to punch him."

"Did you?" Kenshin asked, calmly.

"He told me to talk to you first." Sanosuke sighed "However, if you need to discipline him, I'll happily do it for you."

"So you're going to punch him for this one?" Kenshin asked.

"If it stops at that." Sanosuke replied "I know for a fact that he deserves more than that. He's got no right to her."

"Since when have you been the jealous type Sano?" Kenshin asked "If you could stop, that would be most appreciated. Jealousy doesn't suit you."

"I still think that Takahiro should watch his back." Sanosuke replied, "Especially if those bandits he talked about were Nishimura's men"

At this, Kenshin froze. Nishimura had been one of the people he killed in battle, a man known for only having those _completely_ loyal to him in his unit, and only those loyal. He was an incredible fighter that had taken him a full hour to defeat.

It was amazing the kind of loyalty that man had inspired. And that loyalty could end up becoming the undoing of Takahiro, the family resemblance perhaps almost costing him his life!

**Takahiro**

Doing pull-ups on the branch, he'd counted at least 75 at this point. He was already starting to be beset by fatigue, the effects of today's run, and the past pull-ups he'd done beginning to set in.

He currently was struggling to do number 77, when he heard the sound of a carriage and horse approach.

In the past three days, he realized not much carriage traffic came by the dojo. It was only one thing that the sound could be coming from.

After dropping for a moment, and turning around, he indeed saw what he expected.

The bandits from before, all mounted on their carriage, were riding up. And standing on top of the stolen supplies, was their leader.

"This isn't good." He sighed, looking to the Dojo.

"There's the Battōsai!" their leader shouted as the carriage pulled near.

At this point, he could do nothing but slowly move, his body too heavy from fatigue to really escape into the dojo.

"How fitting that the Battōsai, the man who felled Captain Nishimura, be such a coward to run away." Their leader sighed, as they all jumped down from the carriage.

"K-ken-sh…" Takahiro was too exhausted to say any more. He was completely powerless as the men surrounded him with just a walking pace.

"Guess it's time revenge was exacted." Their leader replied "Now it's time to kill you Battōsai!"

The blades were drawn, as Takahiro fell to the ground from exhaustion.

**Kenshin**

After hearing the words "Battōsai" yelled from outside, he was immediately startled.

He spun around, and ran outside, looking out the window to see what it was first.

He saw what seemed to be former samurai kicking Takahiro to death, Takahiro on the ground, bloodied up.

"_You monsters_" he thought to himself, taking a moment to breath, not rushing to his Hitokiri anger, before opening the door.

"Leave Takahiro-chan alone" he shouted for emphasis upon going out the door.

**Takahiro**

Eyes lucky not to be hit too bloody to see, he glanced up as the bandits stopped roughing him up.

Looking at the dojo, he saw Kenshin standing at the door, eyes in a death-stare.

"Who are you?" the bandit leader shouted.

"This one is the real Battōsai" Kenshin calmly explained "Exact your revenge on this one and not his little brother."

"I told you he wasn't the real thing" a bandit shouted.

"Shut up Noboru" the leader replied "You may be right, but you shall only speak when spoken to." The leader paused, as they all took a moment to draw their swords "Time for us to avenge Captain Nishimura."

Takahiro had taken this moment to start to crawl away, adrenaline fueling him for a small second wind, survival instincts telling him to get away so that he wasn't in the crossfire.

He propped himself up against a tree, turning himself around to watch. He'd idolized Kenshin since he was small, and had always wanted to see his big brother in combat.

He remembered his mantra was "Brother is Invincible", or later "Brother is a War Hero".

If any dream was to come true today, it would be seeing his brother/sensei in battle.

He watched as Kenshin drew his sword, taking a moment to evaluate everything, and read the opponent's moves.

"Takahiro-chan" Kenshin replied, indicating towards his pulp of a little brother "Watch how Hiten Mitsurigi Ryū is done."

Takahiro took a moment to watch as Kenshin immediately charged, and in a blur of blood and steel, took out half of the bandits, numbering 9, with only 2 moves in appearance.

"Whoa" Takahiro moaned, letting out some of the pain that was starting to creep in with that very same breath. The sound of his voice would have been more of pain than of amazement however.

"So this is how it is Battōsai" the bandit's leader replied "You think your ancient sword school can save you."

They immediately assumed a stance of Jigen-ryū and advanced.

Their numbers seemed to have taken Kenshin by surprise.

The style was only surpassed by Hiten Mitsurigi-Ryū, yet that was only in single combat.

When in groups, it was able to stand a chance against Kenshin's style.

In a flash of bloodied steel, Kenshin appeared to have been hit in the shoulder.

"We spent years mastering this style as a group" the bandit leader replied "So that when we saw you, we could stand a chance, and be able to avenge Captain Nishimura. We would rather die than let your evil go unpunished, the way you fought for power and glory. The way you murdered Captain Nishimura in cold blood, killing him when he was occupied with another foe. For that, you shall die!"

Kenshin took a breath, before swirling his sword, adding speed and mass to his swings.

"This one knows of a way to counter Jigen-Ryū en masse" Kenshin replied "And that is to add speed to the sword's movements more than usual. If one had truly killed Nishimura as you described, his scar would only be a single way across down. His initial scar that ran horizontal was caused by Nishimura in combat."

At this, Kenshin disappeared into a blur, and one by one, the bandits were downed, blood spurting as they fell to the ground, bodies intact.

"And that Takahiro-chan" Kenshin announced "is how you use Hiten Mitsurigi to the fullest."

At this however, he simply closed his eyes, fatigue and pain from the entire day finally surpassing his will.

**xXxxXx**

When he finally came to, opening his eyes, he saw that his room was lit by candles, and that he could only smell raw beef. It was like his face had been covered with raw meat.

He also saw that his body was covered in bruises.

"Where am I?" he asked, looking around.

"You're in your room" Megumi's voice explained from the left.

Turning around, he saw Megumi sitting on a cushion, still in her usual outfit.

He also saw several steaks next to her, in addition to some medical tools, and a bag she had.

"You had been beaten up pretty badly," she explained "Thankfully, nothing had been broken. All you got were bruises, and two black eyes. Thankfully, I'd gotten those to go down with a western home remedy. All in all, it was nothing too hard to treat."

"Treat?" He asked, sitting up "You treated my wounds."

"It's my job" she explained "I am training to be a doctor. The doctor on call for the dojo is currently out elsewhere, so I had to come here instead."

"You're training to be a doctor?" he asked.

"Of course" she replied, getting up and wrapping his head in her arms "And to see my Taka-chan so beat up like that broke my heart. It's only natural that I treat you until you got better. My Hero."

All he did was blush for a response. Ten shades redder than his hair color.

"I'm going to let Ken-san know that you're awake." She explained "Your brother wants to talk to you."

With that, she stood up and walked out of the room.

He looked to his right, where he kept his pocketwatch, and opened it up. The time read 9:50 at night.

"Looks like someone is feeling better" a voice came from behind.

Looking up, it revealed Kenshin standing with Megumi.

"How you managed to take a beating like that and come out with only a few bruises is beyond this one" Kenshin went on to explain "But if this one could have his way, it would be that you were strong enough to defend yourself on your own."

"I couldn't even walk when they came" Takahiro admitted "I was so exhausted from your training, that I had become too easy of a target." He sighed, and looked down "I'm sorry I brought such shame to Hiten Mitsurigi-ryū. I should probably commit seppuku to save face."

"This one would rather you not." Kenshin replied, kneeling down to his level "Rather, use the experience to motivate you to get stronger."

He paused, before continuing

"If you had managed to last until they arrived like you did," Kenshin explains "Then soon you can grow incredibly strong. After the first few days, you usually get stronger. If anything, you're already past the hardest part already."

"I'm still too weak" Takahiro sighed "At this point, I probably should keep going."

"Todays training is over for you" Kenshin explained "Tomorrow, you must report to work, for the job this one got you. You'll need all of the rest you can get."

A resounding "GLURCH" came from Takahiro's stomach "Perhaps I can get dinner first?"

"I can take care of that" Megumi explained, reaching for her bag, and withdrawing something wrapped up in a cloth, a warm aroma wafting.

"I took the liberty of preparing you dinner" she explained, unwrapping the cloth to reveal Tempura and Yakitori (skewered chicken) "I understand you eat a lot, and I thought you might like to try my cooking."

"Thank you" Takahiro replied, tucking in to the tempura.

"This one never remembers Megumi-dono bringing him dinner" Kenshin admitted.

"This is different" Megumi replied.

"The tempura is delicious" Takahiro complimented "You're cooking is incredible Megumi-san"

"Thank you Taka-chan" Megumi replied. "I'm going to go now. Let me know if you need anything else. I'm at the address on the slip I gave you."

With that, she walked out of the room.  
"This one thinks you should get to bed." Kenshin replied "right after you finish dinner."

"Alright." Takahiro replied, tucking into his third piece of Tempura. "I'll do that."

Within about 10 minutes, the food was finished, and soon the entire population of the dojo was asleep.

* * *

And with that, the first day of training in Hiten Mitsurigi-ryū was finished, and so, in the 11th year of Meiji; one of the most ancient schools of swordsmanship had begun to be passed down. 

However, it is only the beginning, as Takahiro will soon find out firsthand, of the rigorous training, and the trials and tribulations that come with it.


	5. Tokyo Rickshaw

_**So this is where it comes to. I guess things are going to get better. The arcs will start to tie into the show after this. It's important that Takahiro's drama will continue for a little bit. **_

_**With that, enjoy, and review when you're done…**_

**Chapter 5: Tokyo Rickshaw**

* * *

With the end of Monday came the beginning of Tuesday; a rather boring morning, one that seemed to have bored the will of the residents around the Kamiya Dojo.

Not even the roosters wanted to crow this early, a sign that became apparent for the one expected to wake at 5:00 in the morning.

* * *

**Takahiro**

"What's you're problem!" Takahiro sighed, waking up. He had been shaken awake.

Lighting a candle, he checked his pocketwatch. 5:00 in the morning.

"What's going on Kenshin-sensei?" he asked.

"You must get ready for work." Kenshin explained "If you could get dressed, this one would be ready for you to go to work."

"Work?" he asked, pausing before continuing "Oh yeah, orientation is in an hour."

"And you need to get ready" Kenshin explained, thrusting his clothes upon him "Chop-chop; you have to be there by 6:00."

"I know" Takahiro sighed, getting out of bed, and getting ready.

**XxxXxxX**

Once he was dressed, and all of his bedding was folded up, he left his room.

Standing up, he felt extremely sore, like he'd been smashed with a giant sack of bricks. It was obviously the effect of yesterday's training and the fact that he'd been beat up by those bandits.

"So we shall go to Tanaka's Rickshaws now" Kenshin announced, leaving a note at the dojo.

With that, they began walking down the streets to the outskirts of town, knowing what exactly the path to take was.

**XxxXxxX**

When they arrived, they saw Saburo Tanaka standing at the door, waiting for them.

"Thank you for bringing me Kenshin-sensei" Takahiro replied, following Tanaka through the door.

Inside, Tanaka had a map of the city on one wall, and the office was well lit.

"Now," Tanaka announced "If you're going to be a rickshaw driver, you obviously have to know your way around the city. I'm going to teach you all of these streets, and you're going to learn your way around the city. When you're done, you'll have to be able to tell me the shortest route from one place to another."

And so began what turned out to be a 45 minute lesson on the layout of Tokyo, with all the boringness that came with it.

Takahiro nearly fell asleep twice, yet made certain to memorize all of the streets.

"Now," Tanaka explained "If you'll follow me to the yard, I'll show you what to do when a customer comes"

Tanaka led him to a rickshaw outside, right next to the door.  
"Now," Tanaka began "When a customer asks for a ride, you accept, and ask 'where to?' and they'll tell you. You tell them 3 yen, for the price."

"Why 3 yen?" Takahiro asked "Why not charge them by the distance and time?"

"Because we're the only Rickshaw to charge one flat rate, and require the customers to tip our operators." Tanaka explained "You'll be given a map to help you, with everywhere that will be needed to know. You'll let them get inside, and you'll take them to their destination. When you're done, you tell them that you're there, and they'll usually tip you. With that, you'll be good to go."

"Am I allowed to talk to them?" he asked.

"Oh yes" Tanaka explained "Small talk is encouraged, since this is a people business. Just don't make it too personal."

At this, the sun finally came up, and there were other people coming into the yard, each wearing a sash colored with the company colors, and with the company name.

"And now that you're done with orientation" Tanaka explained "Here is your sash."

He withdrew from a bag an identical article, complete with company name, in addition to his name.

"This way, people will know you're with us." Tanaka explained, while Takahiro put on the sash. "No go out there and get some customers. You mostly stick to the river district."

"Yes sir" Takahiro replied, grabbing the handles of the rickshaw, and making his way out the doors with the others.

_The mass of Rickshaws went out the gates to the company, as upwards of 25 –single/two person rickshaws went out to Tokyo, earning business for their company._

**Takahiro**

Breaking off as he headed to the river district, he remembered what Tanaka had told him; to simply jog around the area, not going too fast, and wait for a customer to hail you.

After about 15 minutes of jogging down Bridge-street, he was hailed by a cute girl, about age 14, with short hair, and wearing a smock for a place called "Akabeko's Beef-Bowl House"

"Where to he asked, as she climbed into the rickshaw "Akabeko's please." She replied.

"That'll be 3 yen" he explained.

She handed him three single-yen notes.

He proceeded to put them in the pouch he had been given for fare. It would be bad form to pocket the money that was supposed to go to the company.

He then proceeded to turn the rickshaw around, heading down Tokugawa Avenue and onto Meiji Road.

"So do you live in Tokyo?" he asked, striking up conversation.  
"Yes" the girl replied "I work at Akabeko."

"Ah," he replied, picking up the pace "I've heard about it. I've been wanting to go for a while. Ever since I got in town."

"Well," she replied "It's really hard and fast-paced work there. A lot of happy customers though. Unfortunately, a customer named Sanosuke keeps on skipping out on his check."

Takahiro was about to say he knew the guy, yet figured it would be bad to keep things too personal.

"That's not good" he replied.  
"Yes," the girl agreed "Tae-san always puts it on his tab. He should pay it soon though."

He turned on Fujiyama Boulevard and pulled up to Akabeko's.

"Here we are" he announced.

"Thank you" the girl replied, handing him a tip of exactly one yen in change. She then got off and walked inside the restaurant.

"alright" he quietly cheered to himself, pocketing his tip. "Now we're talking."

He then took the handles of the rickshaw and proceeded to jog around. It was about five minutes before another customer hailed for him.  
"Where to?" he asked.

The customer this time was an elderly man, who walked with a cane. He had on some rather simple clothing, and spoke with a thick Osaka accent.

"To the department of Internal Affairs please" the man replied.  
"That'll be three yen" Takahiro replied.

"Of course" the man agreed, fishing out three yen in coins and handing it to Takahiro.

After counting everything out, he put the money in the pouch where the fare always went.

He then grabbed both handles and began to run, following Fujiyama Blvd for a little while.

"Your accent sounds like it's from Osaka" Takahiro admitted, striking up conversation. "Are you from there?"

"yes," the man replied.

"Well, do you have any business in Tokyo?" Takahiro asked.

"I'm here to deliver a letter to the head of the department" the man explained.

Takahiro turned on Torimoto Avenue, and made a beeline forward. At the end of the road was the department building.

"I'm amazed at the arrest that was made last week" the man explained "That Takeda Kanryū had finally gotten what was coming to him. Always a good thing."

"So I heard" Takahiro replied, slowing down as he approached the building. "Here we are" he announced.

"Thank you for the ride young man" the old man sighed "Always good to rest my old bones." The old man handed Takahiro two yen in cash.

"Thank you" he replied, pocketing his tip.

"Excuse me!" a woman shouted, just as Takahiro was about to do his usual rounds. She was frantically running to him. She had her hair in a bun and wore a rather gaudily patterned and obviously expensive kimono. She was probably rich.

"Yes" he replied "Where to?"

"Anywhere but here" the woman explained "And hurry please"

She handed him 3 yen, and climbed in.

"Anyplace in particular?" he asked.

"Someplace safe." She answered. "And hurry please."

"Alrighty then" He replied, beginning to run to the only place he could think of that was safe; the Kamiya Dojo."

"Is there a reason why you want me to hurry?" He asked.

"These men are after me for some reason." She explained.

Before he knew it, he heard the sound of horses, and angry shouts.

A quick cock of the head to the back showed that these men on horseback were after them. And they had guns.

He immediately turned left, heading in the direction of the Kamiya Dojo.

This was Yamato Street, the very same street he was initially lost on.

He kept running at his frantic pace, hoping to outs-run the men on horseback.

They continued to ride after him, going with all of their speed, the only thing separating the obvious pursuers from the pursued was the very distant head start the rickshaw had.

He immediately spotted Garimoto Avenue, and kept riding forward, almost passing the very street, turning sharply at the last moment, hoping to delay the turning of the pursuers.

This move however, nearly upturned the rickshaw, and the poor woman inside.

However, it worked, and out of the corner of his eye, he could see the men on horseback struggle with their horses to keep up with the turn.

However, this was not very successful, with the pursuers making the continued turn and following them.

Though he had at least 150 feet of a head start, this didn't seem to matter much.

The horses were at a gallop trying to catch up, and Takahiro was barely able to keep up his breakneck pace to escape.

He'd barely made it to the Kamiya Dojo in his time, with only a few moments between the pursuers and him.

"Where are we?" the woman asked. "Why did you stop."

"You said to take you somewhere safe" he explained "Well, the Kamiya Dojo is the safest place I know. My brother Kenshin is here, and he'll help you. Just get out and get inside."

"Okay" she replied, hopping out of the rickshaw and running through the entrance to the Dojo.

At this point, Takahiro knew the men had seen her leave his rickshaw, and before he knew it, he had started to run away again, hoping to stay out of it and leave this up to Kenshin-sensei.

**Kenshin**

He was currently chopping firewood out front when he saw a woman in one of the brightest and flashiest kimonos he'd ever seen ran inside the dojo.

"Are you Kenshin?" the woman asked.

"Kenshin this one is" he replied. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm being chased by these robbers!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him "You've got to help me."

Before Kenshin could answer, a quintet of men on horseback wielding sabers rode into the dojo, and began circling around them.

"Hand over the woman" the lead shouted "And we just might let you live."

"Who are you and what business do you have with her?" Kenshin asked, putting his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"This woman has yet to pay her debts to her family's master." The lead replied, stopping his horse to face them with his others "Her family has gotten rich recently with the industrialization, and the Fukiyama family has a debt going back to the Sengoku with the Ryuunakas."

"Samurai debts are no longer extant though" Kenshin explained "There is no reason for this woman to pay you. If you could kindly leave her alone, this one will be able to show you mercy."

"Then you die with the WENCH!" the lead shouted.

At this, they all drew their sabers, and prepared to encircle them for a slashing kill.

"Stay right there" Kenshin whispered to the woman "this one has a technique to save you."

He immediately read the move of one of the men, as he jumped to counter it.

However, before he could land the strike, he was kicked by the horse behind the man, thrown to the ground. It was harder than a wooden log falling, and he was lucky his sheath took most of the hit.

"We've trained our horses to kick on command" the lead replied, readying to stomp Kenshin with his horse.

Kenshin's eyes were closed for a moment, before he opened them at the last second, and rolled out of the way.

"Here's something to counter that" Kenshin replied "Ryūsōsen!" he yelled, slashing the dirt, throwing bits of the earth three of the men on horseback.

The pieces of earth hit only the rider's, and left the horses unscathed; he could never bring himself to hurt an animal.

"And now" Kenshin replied, turning to face the other two, "Shall we test the sharpness of this blade?"

He jumped backwards, and bounced off one of the horses, flying straight over the woman and right towards the two remaining men. In one single swipe, he took them both down. Leaving these horses unscathed as well.

"Now then" Kenshin replied landing, and calmly taking the reigns of all five horses, and leading them to the door "The trash must be taken care of."

He went behind the horses, and one by one, smacked the rumps, causing them to immediately run off.

"Thank you so much!" the woman replied, running towards him and wrapping him in a super-tight embrace, making it rather hard for him to breathe.

"This one had no trouble" Kenshin gasped through her embrace.

"Is there any way I can repay you?" the woman asked "I can give you _anything_"

"This one wonders how you got to the Kamiya dojo" Kenshin explained "Was it a certain red-haired rickshaw operator?"

**Takahiro**

And so, after leaving the woman at the Kamiya dojo and continuing to make his rounds, he heard the noon-bang.

He remembered that he was supposed to come back to the shop for lunch, and that Saburo-sempai usually made lunch for all of his employees.

Arriving at the shop, he parked his rickshaw and went inside the building, following the smell of shrimp-fried rice.

Inside it seemed, everyone was seated around small tables, enjoying bowls of rice.

"Look who finally made it" one of the guys shouted.

"How was your first shift Rookie?" one of the other men at the same table asked.

"Sure was fun" Takahiro replied "I'm starving."

"Here you go Takahiro-kun" Tanaka replied, thrusting a bowl of shrimp-fried rice into Takahiro's hands."

Takahiro found an empty cushion by the table who called out, sat down, and after setting down his bowl, began to eat.

"Hey" one of the men replied "You really brought in the money."

The man then indicated to the fare pouch at his hip that was ready to burst.

"Got over 100 people to flag me down" Takahiro bragged "Made a farmload in tips."

"You sure did better than I did my first day" the man sighed "Looks like the rookie beat me."

"The name's Takahiro" he sighed.  
"Mine's Hama" the man replied, offering his hand.

Takahiro accepted.

"I'll tell you one thing" Hama replied "If I can keep up having two shifts, then this job will be riding the gravy train."

"So says the man who gambles all of his paycheck away." One of the guys at the table replied.

"At least I actually win half the time" Hama called back.

Takahiro laughed as he continued to eat, amazed at how juvenile everyone was.

When he was obviously finished along with the rest of his coworkes, Tanaka announced that it was time for them to continue their shifts, and to empty out their fare-pouches on the way out.

Once Takahiro had deposited his fare, he made his way out to his rickshaw, and ran off to the river district, hoping to be able to get success like previous.

* * *

This day of Meiji was obviously one of the most lackluster ones for Tokyo. In all, very little could be said about how boring it was.

If one could simply await the Cherry-Blossom festival, then the doldrums would be ending.

As Tokyo managed to push through the dullness, it seemed that one rickshaw operator managed to pull in some great cash.

However, he couldn't help but wonder as he walked home, what the woman might have payed him if he'd stuck around to collect a tip.

* * *

**Takahiro**

Walking up to the Kamiya dojo, he sighed, thinking about the tip that got away.

"I'm back" He announced as he walked in.  
Kenshin was currently moping the floor of the Dojo, when he noticed his apprentice enter.

"How was your day Takahiro-chan?" Kenshin asked.

"I managed to bring in some serious money" he explained "However, I simply wanted to collect a tip from the woman I brought here."

"You mean Suzami-denke?" Kenshin replied "This one was able to help her, and as a result, got you what was probably your best tip of the day."

"What do you mean?" Takahiro asked.

At this, Kenshin pulled out a 50-yen piece. "She was rather thankful you brought her to this one, and hopes that this will be plenty to repay you."

"It's great" he replied, taking the note. "This will definitely help."

He immediately ran to his room, and took out the slip that Megumi gave him.

The address was the doctor's office for the dojo. It made perfect sense as to what she could be doing there; she was the live-in assistant to the dojo's on-call doctor.

He immediately took off his sash, and grabbed his sword at his waist. He put on the green neck-scarf that his mother had given him as a going-away present, telling him it was for special occasions, spritzed himself with some of the cologne that he obtained at Nagasaki, and walked back out.

"Where is Takahiro-chan going?" Kenshin asked.  
"I've got a date" he explained.

* * *

Takahiro's day was not over by a long-shot. If anything, his day has only just begun. It would make sense that there be some time to spend with the woman of his dreams; Megumi.

He knew of this one place that was still open at night, a restaurant which served ramen, and was open almost all night. It was called Ryuunosuke's, and it was the perfect place for Takahiro to take Megumi.

* * *

_** Look's like someone is going to get some. If Sanosuke finds out about this, the consequences could be dire for Takahiro. Hopefully he'll be able to at least have some fun with Megumi. **_

_** Take a look at that in the next chapter. Until then, leave me a review please. I love the critique…**_


	6. A Date With A Doctor

_**So what now? I've got some rather interesting things going on; looks like you might want to stay tuned. **_

_**I think Mikey likes it. **_

_**Enjoy, and review when you're done…**_

**Chapter 6: A Date With A Doctor **

* * *

With a full day of work behind him, and enough money for a date in his pocket, Takahiro goes out into the city; hoping to treat the woman of his dreams to a night she'll never forget.

And with that being said, the night was young, and so, there is still plenty to have happen. 

* * *

**Nighttime Tokyo**

_ The city was usually more of a daytime scene. However, certain places were open at night; dealing with the "After-hours" crowd. _

_ All over the city, the lamps were lit, from various houses and some in the street, as most places closed down, and others had readied for the last shift. _

_ However, for a certain doctor's studio, the two occupants, notably the staff on-call for the Kamiya Dojo, were preparing to settle down for the day._

**Megumi**

She sighed as she closed the window for the day. It seemed that tonight was going to be yet another boring night back at the flat. Tuesdays weren't usually a day to do much.

For some reason however, today was rather uneventful. Usually, there was always some excitement every day.

Gensai-sensei usually had something interesting lined up for the day; a house-call, or perhaps a trip to the apothecary to get some new medicines.

However, there was nothing that had gone on for the day. She even considered visiting the Kamiya dojo just to get out of the house.

"Shall I get dinner started Megumi-san?" Gensai asked, entering the house from the garden.

Gensai was the old doctor that they found her to live with. She usually didn't mind him most of the time, yet whenever he decided to touch her things usually got a bit out of hand.

"Might as well" she sighed.

**Takahiro**

Following the directions on the slip that Megumi had given him, he couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

He may be well dressed, and presentable, and the fact that Megumi was always all over him wasn't so bad.

However, the fact that she would be the first woman he'd court was rather nerve-racking.

As he approached the entrance to the doctor's house, he couldn't help but feel a nervous feeling in his stomach.

They had a bell that you could ring right at the wall, and that may make things seem simple to some. For him however, that only made things all the more nerve-creating.

He took in a few deep breaths, hoping to relax. It wasn't so hard to imagine this as going just fine.

He reached out and grabbed the handle to the bell, and rung it.

**Megumi**

As she was taking a drink of tea for the evening, someone outside rang the bell.

"I wonder who that could be" Gensai-sensei yelled from the kitchen "Go answer it for me please"

"Sure" she replied plainly.

She got up from her cushion, and made her way to the door.

Opening it revealed Takahiro dressed for the city, standing by the gate.

**Takahiro**

Seeing Megumi answer the door kind of surprised him. He almost had hoped the old man would answer the door first.

"Why Takahiro" Megumi asked "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to take you out to dinner" Takahiro replied, being as honest as possible.

Megumi blushed, before replying "Let me freshen up. Come inside please."

He went through the gate and into the house.

Careful to take off his sandals at the door, he walked inside the rather modest structure.

"If you'll give me just one minute please" Megumi replied, walking into the hallway.

The old man who was the doctor for the Dojo was in the kitchen, preparing tea.

"Why, you must be Takahiro" the old man replied, walking out with a cup of tea "Megumi speaks very highly and affectionately of you." The old man handed him the cup "I just hope you bring her back earlier than midnight."

"I'll try" Takahiro admitted, "Yet no guarantees,"

"Alright, I'm ready" Megumi called from down the hall, walking into the room.

She didn't seem to have done much, except put her hair in a ribbon.  
"Shall we?" He asked, offering his arm.

She accepted, and with that, they left the house, taking a left to the main road.

"So where exactly are you taking me?" Megumi asked.

"_Ryuunosuke's_" Takahiro explained "It's the best place I could think of that was open for dinner."

"So why are you taking me out to dinner?" she asked.

"You put me back together yesterday, and I never got to thank you." He explained as they took a right on the next street "And besides, what better way for us to get to know each other?"

They took a left on the next street and came upon the restaurant. It had a fancy sign, with very flowery writing, and a rather well decorated exterior.

Takahiro walked to the door, and opened it for Megumi "After you my lady"

She blushed, before walking inside.

Takahiro followed, shutting the door.

The restaurant was quite large, with a main room rivaling the Kamiya dojo in size. There were numerous tables with cushions, and they all had a vase with a flower in the center of the table.

"Konbanwa" the hostess greeted "Welcome to our humble establishment. How many will it be?"

"Two please" Takahiro answered.

"Right this way please" the hostess replied, taking two menus and leading them to a table near the window.

Takahiro and Megumi took their seats on the cushions, with Takahiro sitting cross-legged and Megumi sitting with both feet to one side.

"Here are your menus" the hostess announced, handing them to each, albeit one at a time, handing each person a menu with both hands.

Takahiro and Megumi both accepted the menu in a likewise fashion.

"Arigato" Takahiro and Megumi replied when accepting their menus.

"Please let us know when you're ready Kyaku-sama" The hostess replied, bowing before walking off.

Takahiro looked over the menu. It was mostly devoted to ramen, with variants on the same recipe. Takahiro immediately saw what he would like to order.

"So how old are you exactly?" Megumi asked "You and Kenshin look to be almost the same age."

"I'm actually 16." Takahiro replied "Though I have to admit, the idea of a twelve year difference between Kenshin-sensei and myself does seem to baffle people."

He paused "So what prefecture are you from, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I'm from Aizu" she replied "It's where I lived for most of my life actually. I only recently came to Tokyo. Where are you and Kenshin from?"

"We're from Osaka" Takahiro replied "I seem to notice that Kenshin-sensei's accent is starting to fade. Makes sense since he hasn't been home since he was sixteen." Takahiro paused "What is your family like?"

Megumi paused at this, going tense, and what was once a smile on her face was quickly replaced with a look of shock.

Takahiro immediately noticed "I'm sorry Megumi-san; I didn't know it was such a touchy subject for you."

"It's okay" she replied looking back down at her menu, before setting it down.

"You don't have to answer the question if you don't want to" Takahiro replied.

"You know" she quipped "I'm wondering if you have ever had sake. Have you?"

"I can't say that I have" Takahiro admitted "My parents never drank except when guests were over, or if Master Seijūrō was visiting. Even then, I was never offered any. I highly doubt they would even offer it to me now, especially with Tomiko-chan around."

"Who's Tomiko?" Megumi asked, a serious look on her face, almost equaling jealousy.

"Tomiko is my little sister" Takahiro explained "She looks like an exact mirror image of our mother, and should be turning five this month."

"Ken-san never told me about this" Megumi admitted "He never even mentioned you."

"Kenshin-chama never told anyone about Tomiko because Kenshin-chama had no idea Tomiko existed." Takahiro explained "Tomiko-chan was born when I was eleven. Kenshin hadn't been home since I was four."

"He also never told anyone about you for some reason" Megumi added.

"Probably never asked" Takahiro reasoned "He certainly isn't very talkative, though for some reason he always calls me –chan" Takahiro paused "I haven't been called –chan by a man since I was eight. And that was our Uncle Hiro who called me that, though he's got to be in his nineties by now."

"So what would you rather him address you with?" Megumi asked.

"Kun" Takahiro explained "Something other than chan. I would ask him to call me something different, yet I don't want to be disrespectful."

"I can easily ask him for you" Megumi sighed "He's bound to listen to me. I never realized you actually preferred something different. Takahiro-kun"

"Please," Takahiro replied "_you_ can call me chan all you want. I like it when you do. I just think that Kenshin-sensei shouldn't call me that. I'm sixteen, not six."

"Well," she replied "I think that we should move the topic off Ken-san and onto something else. I'm wondering if you would like sake tonight?"

"I'm not sure I'd be able to pay for sake" Takahiro replied "I am paying for dinner tonight. Being a rickshaw driver gets one some very nice tips, which he would like to spend on a special someone."

Megumi blushed fifty shades redder than Takahiro's hair.

"I think we're ready to order" Takahiro replied "Am I right Megumi-chan?"

"Yes" she replied.

They both set down their menus, and patiently waited.

It wasn't long before a server came.

"Konbanwa" the server replied "Would you two care for some drinks?"

"We'll have some tea" Takahiro answered "And I'll let Megumi-chan order first."

"Can I get the Spring Pork Ramen?" Megumi asked.

"Of course" The server replied "And for you Kyaku-sama?"

"I'll have the fish ramen please" Takahiro replied.

"Thank you" The server replied "This one will be right back with your drinks and oshibori."

Takahiro and Megumi both handed the server the menus with both hands, and the server accepted their menus with both hands as well.

"So what's it like as a rickshaw driver?" Megumi asked "I've always wondered how it was."

"It's quite the workout," Takahiro explained "And you're also told not to have very much casual conversation, though some is allowed. Being friendly as well as humble is required. However, the majority of the time is spent trying to keep up a good speed. The sooner you get there, the better the tip usually is."

"Well" Megumi replied "I find one particular rickshaw driver very sexy" She then proceeded to stare into his eyes.

Takahiro knew for a fact that she was talking about him. It wasn't hard to interpret; however, it caught him off guard.

He simply smiled and laughed playfully "And I find a particular doctor's assistant very attractive as well."

"Here you two are" The server announced, carrying the hot tea in one hand and the hot towels in another.

Takahiro and Megumi both broke off the flirtatious conversation to reply, accepting the two articles with care.

"This one will be back with your dinner shortly" the server replied, bowing before turning around.

"I must say" Megumi replied "The service here sure is nice."

"I agree" Takahiro replied, wiping his hands with the oshibori, "I heard only good things from a couple I met at an inn who were on their way back to the country. They were really nice to me, offering to let me stay in their room at the inn when I didn't have enough money for dinner _and_ a room. They were very nice, and kept calling me by my brother's name though. The man always thought twice about it, doubting that I was Kenshin-sensei. However, about halfway through the night, I told them the truth, and they explained why they kept calling me 'Kenshin', and were still nice to me"

"And why was that?" Megumi inquired.

"The lady said that Kenshin had saved them from highwaymen once last year, and they never got to return the favor. I told them I'd pass their thanks along, and that he'd be fine with them accepting me into their room as repayment."

"Was Kenshin fine?" Megumi inquired.

"He was a little mad at first, though I told him that they might not see either of us again, and that the Kami-sama would accept their gesture as thankful."

"Well" Megumi replied, having finished washing her hands "I never realized that Ken-san was so religious"

"He usually isn't" Takahiro sighed "However, the couple was, and he likes to respect other people's faith."

"Are you?" Megumi inquired.

"To an extent" Takahiro explained "I believe in the ancestors and all of that, yet I personally don't adhere much to Shinto. I make offerings sometimes, though usually that's as thanks to some good thing that happened, or in deference."

"I find that a lack of signs has gotten me skeptical" Megumi admitted "I have had very little good fortune for the longest time. I have even started to doubt all of my beliefs. It wasn't until recently when your brother and the others at the Kamiya dojo helped me out that I had considered going without faith."

"I find that you don't need much faith" Takahiro replied "Only when you truly need something to believe is all of it really necessary."

He reached out and took Megumi's hand in his "Frankly, I feel like I have been blessed by just even meeting you in the first place."

"That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me" Megumi admitted "Thank you"

As they both gazed into each other's eyes, there was a true connection between the two, and they both began to lean in for a kiss.

**Sanosuke**

After Kaoru had finished cooking dinner, he started to look around.

He'd seen no sign of Kenshin's brother all day, and was beginning to wonder if he'd taken the life of his brother and left.

"Hey Kenshin" Sanosuke asked, seeing the Rurouni walk in "Where's your brother?"

"Takahiro-chan left when he got home to take Megumi-dono out to dinner" Kenshin explained "This one saw him leave right after he got home from work."

"Say what?" Sanosuke yelled, punching the area to his left, unfortunately occupied by Yahiko "That punk!"

"Calm down Sano" Kenshin replied "This one doubts that much will happen between them tonight."

"I'm going to kill that punk" Sanosuke fumed "Where is he taking her?"

"This one has no idea" Kenshin replied "It is also not wise to make an incident out in public. Perhaps it is best to wait until Takahiro-chan returns, before confrontation."

"Fine" Sanosuke fumed, punching Yahiko again as he was getting to his feet.

"What's your problem?" Yahiko yelled as Sanosuke was walking away.

"Don't mind Sano" Kenshin replied "He is simply jealous over Takahiro-chan. It is best to leave him alone for a while."

**Takahiro**

As he was puckering up for his lips to meet Megumi's, he was interrupted by the server.

"Your food is ready Kyaku-sama" the server replied, setting the food down.

"Itadakimasu" they both replied, before opening their chopsticks.

Takahiro waited a moment before eating, not touching his food yet until Megumi began to eat.

She glanced at him, before realizing the situation, and began to eat.

At that cue, Takahiro began to dig in, slurping his noodles, good manners in Japan.

For a brief moment, they looked up from their food. They both made eye contact, before respectively blushing. Afterwards, they turned back to their food.

Takahiro was amazed at how great the food was. It was incredible, almost a step up from his mother's cooking.

They both continued to eat, slurping and everything, showing the best manners in Japan.

Takahiro took a moment from his food to take a drink of his tea. He reached for his cup, and had a few sips, almost draining the glass.

**Megumi**

As Takahiro-chan was setting his cup down, she noticed it was almost empty. The proper thing to do was to keep each other's cup topped off.

"Let me fill that for you Takahiro-chan" she quipped, reaching for the teapot.

**Takahiro**

He heard Megumi's request, and grasped the cup with both hands, offering them out to her.

She proceeded to fill the cup almost to the brim.

"Thank you Megumi-chan" Takahiro replied. He took a sip before returning to his food.

After about ten minutes, both had completely eaten their food. And both were rather full from it, a good sign.

Takahiro reached into his shirt, and pulled out the pocketwatch. It was coming up on 10:30!

"I believe it is time I took you home" Takahiro replied "Let me pay our check.

They both stood up, and made their way to the front. At the counter, there was a tray for the money, in addition to an actual cash register, metal brass and all.

"Your total comes to exactly 50 yen" the cashier replied.

"Of course" Takahiro cheered quietly. He reached into his wallet and pulled out the 50 yen piece that he received as tip, and placed it in the tray.

"Gochisōsamadeshita" Takahiro and Megumi replied to the staff as they left.

Outside, they both paused for a moment, staring into each other's eyes, feeling a passion burning.

"Thank you for tonight" Megumi replied "I enjoyed it."

"Let me walk you home" Takahiro sighed "Seeing as tonight is not over yet."

Rather than offer her his arm, he instead took her hand. She blushed at this, yet smiled. He seemed to have done something right.

With that, they made their way back to her house, the doctor's studio. As they walked, both could feel a connectedness that matched the mood.

Arriving at Megumi's house gate, they paused.

"Here we are" Takahiro managed.

"Thank you for tonight" Megumi repeated "I haven't had this much fun in a long time."

They both looked in each other's eyes, taking in the moment. Megumi slowly closed hers, and Takahiro did the same.

Megumi leaned in, slowly, cautiously, inch by inch, leaning towards him.

As she moved, she slowly tilted her head, to the left. She puckered up, full red lips slowly coming out and forward.

Takahiro did likewise as she approached the 90% area, having leaned forward an incredible amount, practically bending over.

And in that moment, they met in a perfect kiss, the very thing they had wanted the entire night.

For a moment, it was purely lips. However, at five seconds, Takahiro opened his mouth, and proceeded to move his tongue forward.

This was met with Megumi's teeth as a barrier, almost completely dismaying him.

He tried to save face by bringing his tongue back into his mouth, yet was surprised, when Megumi opened her mouth to bring her tongue into his. She moved her tongue around his mouth, taking a moment to _feel_ his. She then did a slight swirling motion with it, before allowing him a moment to insert his tongue in her mouth.

He did so, and in a sly move, rolled his tongue, making a U-shape with it. All inside her mouth, causing her to moan slightly.

He took a moment to reach his arms out around her, wrapping her in a rather amorous embrace.

Taking a cue from him it seemed, Megumi reached out and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him forward, and leaning back against the gate.

Takahiro was standing up as he continued to move forward, bringing himself even closer.

She opened her legs slightly, and wrapped them around his, stopped however by the tightness of her kimono.

Takahiro and Megumi continued this sort of passionate making out for a good five minutes, heat of a truly passionate moment taking over.

**Gensai**

Currently inside, waiting for Megumi, he couldn't help but hear her voice and that of the young man she had left with outside.

Walking to the living room, and opening the window slightly, he saw the two on the beginning stages of foreplay, making out against his gate.

He personally wanted to watch it further, yet the fact remained that he should probably interrupt.

He shut the window, and walked to the door, opening it. "Alright you two" He shouted "Time's up for tonight. Come inside Megumi-san"

**Takahiro**

He was completely startled by the old man at the door, and immediately the two broke off their session, each blushing.

"You can see each other tomorrow" the old man replied "Time to retire for the night."

"I'll see you Sunday?" Megumi asked "You have that day off from training, right?"

"Yes" Takahiro replied "I'll pick you up then."  
"Good night" Megumi replied, collecting herself and walking back inside her house, throwing her hips slightly in a seductive manner.

As the door was closed, Takahiro whistled in amazement. He couldn't believe tonight.

"Himura Takahiro" he replied to himself "You are one of the luckiest men alive."

He proceeded to turn and walk back home. Not only did he know where Megumi lived, he had a sure knowledge that she was the girl of his dreams that was his.

His heart was racing as he walked, slowly his stride was, however, he couldn't help but feel a fever in the back of his head that centered around Megumi. The feel of her soft lips, the sweet heat of the moment they shared, the dark brown of her eyes, and the softness of her voice. All the making of the perfect woman.

As he approached the Kamiya Dojo, he couldn't help but smile. Today was the perfect day in his book, and all in all, a rather eventful one.

He saw Sanosuke leaning against the gate as he walked up.

"Konbanwa" Takahiro greeted, smiling.

Sanosuke didn't return the greeting, or even change his expression, that of contemptuous anger.

Instead, he proceeded to grab Takahiro by his shirt, lift him off the ground, and pummel him against the gate, the majority of the blow on his left shoulder area, harder than a pummel against the ground, causing a world of pain.

"What's wrong Sano?" Takahiro asked, pain overtaking his voice.

"You don't deserve her" Sanousuke replied, holding Takahiro with only one hand and proceeding to raise the other one as a fist.

"What's going on?" he yelled out of fear "Whatever it is, I'm sorry"

He flinched, expecting an incredible knockout punch.

Instead, he was greeted by Kenshin-sensei's voice.

"Sanosuke" Kenshin yelled "Leave him alone"

Takahiro opened his eyes and saw Kenshin standing at the door.

"Fine" Sanosuke fumed, setting Takahiro down.

Takahiro rubbed his shoulder, which hurt like hell.

"Takahiro-chan has training in the morning" Kenshin explained, wrapping his arm around Takahiro and leading him inside.

"This isn't over" Sanosuke replied through clenched teeth.

With that, Takahiro was led to his room and after all, proceeded to shut the door and prepare for bed.

* * *

All in all, the night was incredible and passionate. Everyone who was out indeed felt some sort of emotion, and most importantly, the first true relationships were forming between people.

The next day would provide it's own set of challenges. However, to the members of the Kamiya dojo.


	7. Yahiko and His Battle

_**So what's new? I see some people are going mostly off of the anime and are thinking that I'm doing the same. **_

**_However, as I must state once more, I am going off the _Manga _and the color artwork is what is my guide for the physical appearance of the characters._**

_**However, the fic will now get to the telling of the series with an OC involved, as it was intended to. Enjoy…**_

**Chapter 7: Yahiko Skips Out**

The rest of the week went by rather uneventfully, with a routine having been established of training, work, and rest. All in all, a seemingly innocuous way to condition oneself.

However, with the first day of the third week, something rather interesting had begun to be developed…

**Takahiro**

As he was waking up, he noticed something odd. Usually, there would be snoring from the other wall, where Sanosuke slept. A heavy sound that usually denoted time.

With no such noise however, not even the slightest, it was as if somebody had finally gone and put a pillow over Sanosuke's face until he stopped snoring. It was like a dream come true.

Takahiro then looked at his pocket-watch, the very one traded by the westerner for Master Seijūrō's pottery. It had gold inlay on the largely silver case, and a large face, denoting and ticking off the seconds that went by rather loudly.

It read 9:00. It seemed Takahiro had slept in a whole hour. Kenshin-sensei usually woke him up by now.

"Might as well" he sighed, getting off his futon and getting dressed.

Once he was done, he went into the main room of the dojo where he saw Kaoru looking around.

"YAHIKO!" she yelled "YAHIKO, WHERE ARE YOU?!" she continued to be huffing and puffing all around, looking for the kid.

"Is he supposed to be somewhere?" Takahiro asked, scratching his head.

"He's supposed to be at practice right now" Kaoru replied "He's already missed two practices last week, and he's not doing that again.

"Sounds like a problem" Takahiro admitted, hiding the real reason he knew Yahiko was gone.

**Yesterday**

_Takahiro smiled across the table at Megumi, as they took their seats. _

"_So what can I start you off with?" their waitress, a girl of about 13 named Tsubame asked._

_ "I'll have a tea" Megumi replied _

"_Another tea also please" Takahiro added._

"_Of course" Tsubame replied "Your drinks will be ready shortly."_

_ Tsubame then left, leaving Takahiro and Megumi to each other._

"_I'm curious as to how training is going for you" Megumi replied "What's Ken-san like as a teacher?"_

_ "He's hard on you most of the time" Takahiro explained "yet the training really does work. I'm going to be learning a new move tomorrow."_

_ "That's nice" Megumi replied "I remember seeing you when you were pulling a rickshaw"_

_ "Really?" Takahiro asked_

_Megumi nodded "You really looked so handsome in your uniform" she leaned towards him, and began to put her hands on his chest._

_ "Is that what I think it is?" Takahiro replied, glancing out of the corner of his eye. He thought he saw someone who shouldn't be there._

_ "Wait a second?" Megumi replied "That's Yahiko-kun" she pointed at the spiky-haired kid sweeping the entrance._

_ "Should we go and talk to him?" Megumi asked._

"_I say we should just leave him to his work" Takahiro replied, tilting Megumi's head towards him, and kissing her on the lips._

**XxxxXxxxX**

Takahiro found Kenshin, who was currently chopping wood with his Sakabato. There were about 10 logs split, and about another 72 that still needed to be chopped.

"This one sees Takahiro-chan has risen on his own" Kenshin stated, looking up "If Takahiro-chan would get his Katana, we could begin training" he paused "your Kūshū still needs work."

"I'll be right back" he replied, running inside the Dojo and to his room to get his Katana.

He sped right back outside, and saw Kenshin working on yet another log.

"I'm ready to learn more Kenshin-sensei" Takahiro replied.

"Then draw" Kenshin announced, throwing a log right at him.

He immediately reached for the sword, and had his hand on the hilt, yet was still too slow. He received a face-hit from the block, right in the forehead, producing a rather large bump to protrude.

"It looks like things are as bad as this one though" Kenshin replied "You are still extremely slow on the draw."

"I will get better Kenshin-sensei" Takahiro replied "I promise"

"Well let's go inside and see" Kenshin replied, putting down the block of wood and walking with his sword into the dojo.

They both stood, bokutō in hand, and looked at each other from across the floor.

"Now strike with a Kūshū" Kenshin announced.

Takahiro held the sword up to vertical, and leaped into the air. He proceeded to swing rapidly across, and slash to the vertical, then the left and right, making the top stroke for the character for "Fire", and all in the same strike in the air.

Kenshin obviously knew that was the basic for his attack, and managed to block all three slashes.

Takahiro landed on his feet right in front of Kenshin, and their swords were obviously clashed.

Takahiro knew exactly what move to use, dropping to the floor and trip-kicking Kenshin, who proceeded to jump to dodge, and landed about 7 feet away.

"This one sees improvement" Kenshin announced "Perhaps it is better time to show you the finer points of your Kūshū."

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING THERE!?" Kaoru's voice screamed "ESPECIALLY WITH THAT HAIR OF YOURS"

"WHERE DO YOU GET OFF INSULTING MY HAIR?!" Sanosuke's voice replied at an equal volume.

"Oro?" The two brothers replied.

They set down their training swords and walked to the outside of the dojo. From the look of it, Sanosuke and Kaoru were both arguing.

"What's going on?" Takahiro asked.

"I'm looking for Yahiko. He's skipped out on training again" Kaoru replied.

"Now that I think about it" Sanosuke began "I haven't seen very much of the kid around."  
"He's probably gone scrounging around for food" Kaoru reasoned "The kid eats like he's twice his size"

"He's probably found himself a girl" Sanosuke reasoned "Kid's clever that way"

"Maybe he's gone off to test the skills he's acquired" Kenshin added.

"None of you are right" Takahiro finished "He's out working"

"Working?!" Kaoru and Sanosuke repeated with derision, before starting to hysterical laughter.

"That's a good one!" Sanosuke laughed "Keep it up, and you could be a comedian"

"It's definitely food" Kaoru explained "It only makes sense"

"I told you" Sanosuke replied "It's definitely a girl"

"Food, girls" Yahiko's voice spoke up from behind.

Turning around, this revealed Yahiko walking into the dojo

"Is that what you guys talk about while I'm away? That's just pathetic" he finished.

"Why you little!" they both yelled, and punched him straight to the sky.

**XxxX**

At the same time the next day, all three of them were gathered at the roof of the Kamiya dojo, all waiting for Yahiko to leave. It was almost sad the way "Yahiko Mystery" had managed to become the rest of the Dojo's obsession.

Looking out from the roof, they saw Yahiko walk out of the dojo, Shinai strapped to his back. It was almost crazy how the kid wore the bamboo training sword on his back like a badge of honor.

From what Takahiro had heard, the kid was of Samurai lineage. However, it was almost impossible to imagine the kid with a samurai dad.

However, this provided a good enough distraction.

"So it seems that they're onto me" Yahiko began drawling to himself.

"It's definitely food" Kaoru whispered to the group.

"It's got to be a girl" Sanosuke replied

"Have either of you considered swords?" Kenshin asked.

"I've actually seen where he goes" Takahiro finished "He's got a job"

"Shut up Takahiro-bakayarou" Sanosuke fumed.

"Like we'll actually believe you" Kaoru added

Looking down, he saw that Yahiko had managed to turn the corner and was about to turn yet another one.

All four jumped from the roof into the field across, landing on their feet.

The immediately sidled up to the fence, and watched as Yahiko went down Fujiyama Blvd, and started to walk forward.

"It's definitely Food" Kaoru replied, "Fujiyama Blvd is full of restaurants."

"He's definitely found a girl" Sanosuke replied, lifting up a section of the fence for them to hide behind.

"Has nobody considered Swords?" Kenshin asked.

"I'm telling you" Takahiro sighed "Akabeko's is on Fujiyama Blvd and he's got a job there"

The argument continued for a good five minutes as they followed Yahiko to, who guessed it, Akabeko's Beef-Bowl house.

"Akabeko's?" Sanosuke commented.

"Ha!" Kaoru exclaimed "I knew it was food."

They all walked in to the restaurant, and were greeted by a tall, thin woman in a similar smock.

"Tae-san!" Kaoru replied to the woman.

"Who is this?" 'Tae' replied, noticing Takahiro "He's so handsome in his green neck scarf. I want to take him home"

"Don't you remember, I was here two Sundays ago" Takahiro replied "I was with Megumi-chan"

"I wasn't here then" Tae replied "I had become ill last week. However, I realize that now. Tsubame-chan told me about the two of you" She smiled, closed her eyes, and tilted her head "How silly of me to forget." A brief moment went by before they noticed Yahiko walk down with a broom, sweeping to outside.

"What's he doing here?" Kaoru asked, discreetly pointing to Yahiko.

"Why Yahiko works here" Tae replied "He came in and asked for a job on the low. He does errands for the restaurant every other day."

There was a brief moment, before all three of them turned to Takahiro.

"You were actually right?" Sanosuke noted "You little bakayaro…"

That was all Sano managed to say before Kaoru put her hand over his mouth, saying "Akabekos is a family restaurant, remember?"

With that, Sanosuke stopped in his tracks.

"Meal for four I take it?" Tae asked.

"Certainly" Takahiro replied.

Before they knew it, they had a good seat, with a nice helping of beef-bowl in the center.

"So tell me something Takahiro-baka" Sanosuke began, making conversation

"Oro?" Takahiro replied, mouth full of beef.

"You heard what I said kid" Sanosuke fumed, slapping Takahiro upside the head.

"Don't hit him!" Kaoru defended.

"Just you try" Sanosuke fumed back.

Takahiro simply swallowed what was in his mouth, and replied "You were going to ask me something Sano-san"

"Yeah" Sanosuke replied, breaking off the dispute with a fed-up Kaoru. "What were you doing here with Megumi two Sundays ago?"

"I was taking her on our second date" Takahiro explained "She's so charming." He smiled, and reached for yet another piece of beef from the Beef-Bowl. "I really enjoy her ambrosial kisses"

That was the last thing Takahiro said before Sanosuke punched him straight in the face, sending him into the wall, head breaking through, knocked out with X's on his eyes, falling into a lesbian couple.

"Oh my Kami-sama!" they both shouted.

Takahiro came to in about two minutes, and immediately apologized, blaming Sanosuke, saying that they'd gotten into a fight.

"So tell me" Sanosuke replied "How is it that she chooses such a bakayarou such as you?"

"Oro?" Takahiro replied, turning back to the beef

"Answer me!" Sanosuke replied, slapping Takahiro.

"I have no clue" Takahiro admitted "However, we're so happy together."

Once again, another slap from Sanosuke, yet this time, before Takahiro could reply, Tae came back.

"How is the meal?" Tae asked.

"Great" Takahiro replied, mouth full of food. "Can you please pass my complements on to the chef?"

"Certainly Takahiro-sama" Tae replied "So will Sanosuke-san finally pay his tab?"

"I've quit fighting and have no money" Sanosuke replied "I certainly think ol Takahiro-kun can pick this one up"

"I actually was going to" Takahiro replied "Seeing as Kenshin-sensei, Kaoru-san, and Sanosuke-baka all forgot their wallets."

Both Kenshin and Kaoru immediately checked where they kept their money, only to have their hands come upon obviously empty pockets.

"I'll leave you the check" Tae replied.

Takahiro then turned back to the rice in his bowl, and replied "Seijūrō-sensei always said to carry around what you will need always."

"That sounds like Hiko-sensei" Kenshin replied "I always carry the sakabatō because of him."

Yahiko walked up, and was carrying what was obviously their check, though was absentmindedly looking in the direction of Tsubame, when he replied "Here's your check"

Yahiko then walked past, having obviously not noticed the others at the table.

"I'm going to use the benjo" Takahiro replied, getting up and walking to the bathroom, and casually tossing his wallet to Kenshin "Take what's in that and cover the check. Can you also give a generous tip as well?"

"Certainly Takahiro-chan" Kenshin replied

Takahiro started walking down the aisle and made his way to where the sign said **Benjo** in Kanji.

"Tsubame, Yahiko, it's starting to fill up in here. Go out back and get some more charcoal"

"Yes sir" the two replied, rushing past Takahiro and into the main yard.

Takahiro took a moment to watch, wondering what it was about. It could just be simply getting charcoal, but it was still worth getting a look at.

Takahiro could see Yahiko and Tsubame both grab a bag, and start carrying it inside.

Or try to at least. Tsubame tripped and fell over, and Yahiko walked back, and said something to the girl, before grabbing the other bag of charcoal, and hoisting them both over his shoulders, running back to the kitchen.

Takahiro walked back and into the bathroom, or made it seem to. It seemed rather uneventful to him, yet he was really interested in what was going on today. Something didn't fit.

**Tsubame**

_She got back up on her feet, and made her way back inside. "Hey Tsubame" a familiar voice, rather strained and nasally called from in back._

_ Turning around, this revealed Nagaoka, a tall man with a thin face, some high cheekbones, and short hair. His henchmen surrounded him._

_ "You have it don't you?" Nagaoka asked "The money the place makes"_

"_Akabeko-sama doesn't keep much money at the restaurant." Tsubame replied "He takes the earnings from the day to his house"_

_ "Just like I thought" Nagaoka replied "You have it, right? The mold for the owner's housekey"_

_ "But burglary will bring shame upon the Nagaoka family" she objected._

"_Silence you bitch!" Nagaoka replied, reaching across and slapping her with his backhand._

**Takahiro**

He finished washing his hands and walked out of the Benjo, and could easily see Yahiko looking outside onto the yard. A closer inspection showed these men surrounding Tsubame, all carrying what were obviously Bokutō.

Takahiro saw Yahiko sneak back, not even noticing him.

Takahiro knew that he himself did not yet have the skill to be able to take on all of those men for Yahiko, but he knew that he could always back the guy up if things really did get out of hand. He still had his Katana on him, and knew that those guys would probably have a healthy fear of Battōsai, and a little mistaken identity would help.

** Yahiko**

Jumping onto first a barrel, then a pile of crates, and finally onto the roof, he made his way up to a high position where he could see them clearly. He immediately saw the lead one slap Tsubame with a backhand, and heard

"Your family was a poor family, that served the Nagaokas for three hundred years. We were vassals to the Shogun himself, and your father made a living by serving me. With this new age, it seems like the debts of three hundred years are suddenly trampled underfoot, and…"

"Stop it!" Yahiko shouted, interrupting the man on his misuse of samurai ways. He was a samurai himself, and that man was making his blood boil.

"Who's this?" the man asked.

"I am Myōjin Yahiko," Yahiko explained "As a samurai myself, I cannot stand to see such dishonorable behavior." He then jumped off of the roof, and landed square on his feet. However, this was not a good idea. He felt a shock run up and through him, making him vibrate.

"Yahiko-chan!" Tsubame yelled from behind, using the one honorific that he absolutely hated.

"I told you not to call me chan" Yahiko yelled back, frightening the poor girl.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" Tsubame replied.

"It's been the Meiji era for ten years" Yahiko replied "There are no samurai debts anymore."

"Just some punk kid" the lead replied, snapping his fingers "Get him"

Yahiko went to his back and withdrew his shinai, and charging one of the other men.

He got him in the gut, and the man fell to the ground.

Yahiko then jumped on the first guy's back, and went on to use it to get the guy behind him in the neck. It seemed like he had these guys in the bag. And then it hit him.

Literally, one of the guys behind him used a bokutō and got him in the back of the head.

Immediately, three more came, and all at once, in a large multitude of blows from all over. Neck, stomach, back, head, neck, back, stomach, head, back, neck, stomach, stomach, neck, head.

After the fourth blow to the head, he fell to the ground.

"Let's finish him off" the man replied, and at this, the men continued to pelt him with their wooden swords. He was powerless to do anything. It was hell.

**Takahiro**

After seeing all of those men overpower Yahiko, he couldn't stand to just watch anymore. His right hand moved to the hilt of his sword, and he was about to draw, when he heard a calm voice speak up and a hand come to rest on his shoulder.

"Rush to Yahiko's help, recommend this one does not" Kenshin spoke up.

"We can't just stand back and watch" Kaoru added from behind.

A quick cock of the head revealed Kaoru and Sanosuke both standing behind him.

"He's my first student" Kaoru defended.

"How is he going to get any stronger if we keep coming to his rescue?" Kenshin explained "The only way for him to improve is if he fights this battle himself, that it does" Kenshin paused for a moment "And how are we going to explain suddenly showing up?"

"If you insist" Kaoru ceded.

**Yahiko**

He was still being beaten with the wooden swords when he heard Tsubame speak up.

"Please don't hurt him anymore" she asked, "I'll give you the mold for the key"

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Tsubame reach in her kimono and pull out a clay mold, and hand it to the man.

"That's enough" their leader replied.

At that, the beating ended, leaving Yahiko in a world of pain.

The men left, leaving just him and Tsubame alone. Yahiko got up, and brushed himself off.

"Are you alright Yahiko-chan?" Tsubame asked. "I'm sorry that I dragged you into this"

"You don't have to worry about me" Yahiko replied "I didn't do this because you asked me; I stuck my neck out for you on my own. If I can't beat those guys, than I guess I deserve to be called chan"

Yahiko then got up and started walking slowly "It'll take them about two days to get a good key off the mold. I'll take care of them then"

**The Next Day…**

Yahiko had set up what was obviously the most complex training station anyone would have ever seen. It consisted of fourteen boards tied to branches of a tree. Each board was to represent one person and a sword, and it had taken him all of the morning to complete. He had the afternoon and tomorrow during the day to improve, so that he could get those thugs.

He knew that those men weren't worth Kenshin's time. The police would have Tsubame arrested as an accomplice. This was his battle, and he would finish it his way. Using the Kamiya Kasshin-ryū.

He struck out at the first board, and began to fight the multitudes.

**Takahiro**

Walking up the back path of the dojo to the river, he heard what sounded like yelling of combat, and it sounded loud.

Walking ahead, he could find the source as Yahiko, who was training with about fourteen boards tied to trees, simulating what was obviously a group attack.

"Oro?" He mumbled, stopping for a closer look.

When he paused, he saw Yahiko immediately receive a beatdown from the boards, which had come back and from behind to indicate that numbers were winning out.

"Kenshin?" Yahiko muttered, dusting himself off and turning around.

"Sorry about that" Takahiro replied "Kenshin-sensei is currently out buying tofu. He'll be back shortly. Is there something you wanted to ask him about?"

"No need" Yahiko replied "You know Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, why don't you teach me some of it"

"My skills are worlds apart from my brother's." Takahiro replied "I am barely touching upon the basics myself. I don't have any of the knowledge to teach you"

"Is something the matter Takahiro-kun?" Kenshin asked, hand on Takahiro's shoulder.

Takahiro spun around, and could see Kenshin walking with tofu in a bucket.

"I want to know how to fight more than one person at once" Yahiko explained, speaking up and answering for Takahiro.

"Both of you take a seat" Kenshin explained, sitting down on the grass, and setting down the tofu.

Takahiro and Yahiko both took a seat facing Kenshin, almost like during a group story-lesson.

"During my time as a hitokiri during the Bakumatsu, we often faced groups of more than one during those times" Kenshin began "How we defeated them was that we ran"

"You ran?" Yahiko asked.

"We pretended to" Kenshin corrected "Obviously, differences in body type and mass led to differences in agility and speed. The faster ones would catch up first. We would turn around, and take them down one at a time."

Kenshin paused, letting it sink in.

"The trick was to make it so that we forced them into a one-on-one situation. That way, we were able to defeat groups of the Shinsengumi."

"Make it so that it's one on one" Yahiko mumbled.

"Takahiro-kun" Kenshin replied, turning to him "If you could take the tofu and bring it back to the dojo, this one would most appreciate, that he would."

"Of course Kenshin-sensei" Takahiro replied, taking the tofu bucket and walking back to the dojo.

**Kenshin**

As Takahiro walked away, he could see Yahiko lookin up at him from his slightly lower seat.

"One thing you must remember Yahiko" Kenshin replied "Kamiya Kasshin-ryū is Katsujin-ken. A sword you wield for the people. You cannot lose with Kamiya Kasshin-ryū. On your sword, you carry two fates; that of yourself and the one you protect. Remember that you must"

**The Following Night…**

**Tokyo**

_ The city was said to be world's different at night. Shops and stores that were open in the evening closed later at night. By the time midnight rolled around, the city was usually asleep, and often, only the worst of the worst patrolled in the shadows._

**Yahiko**

He'd come across the men who were trying to break in a little while away. He'd watched them meet up as they wore black to cover their faces and heads.

When they'd all met up, and their leader had the keys in his hand, Yahiko jumped from his hiding place on a low roof. He'd jumped across the man's path, and snatched the keys from his hands.

"You little punk!" their leader yelled "You give that back."

"Come and get 'em from me" Yahiko taunted, running along the route he planned, to the place that he knew would be the guarantee of a one-on-one.

He took a left on the next street, passed two buildings, then took a right, straight into a dead-end alley, and followed it all of the way to the back.

"We've got you now" their leader replied, as they all went into the alley, and tried to advance.

"Take this!" the two at the front cried, yet for a brief moment, they were stuck, trying to advance as two.

"You take this!" Yahiko yelled, running forward and taking the one closer down on the shoulder, and the one next to him down in the kidney.

Both men crumpled to the ground.

"Come on, unless your chicken" Yahiko yelled.

One more came forward, and Yahiko got him in both the gut and the head, taking two contact points.

"He was only pretending to be cornered" the leader replied "That way he could have it one on one."

**Kenshin**

Sitting above the scene going on in the alley, he turned to Sanosuke, who was right next to him.

"Yahiko's skills certainly have improved, that they have" Kenshin replied.

"Don't you feel like we should help him?" Sanosuke asked.

"Yahiko will be fine" Kenshin replied.

For a brief moment, he saw the attackers look up, and straight at the two of them, before yelling out something he didn't quite catch.

Then they all ran away, leaving their leader back at the other end.

**Yahiko**

He suddenly saw them look up, and run away, not before yelling out something.

"What's wrong?" Yahiko yelled "Why don't you fight me?"

The other men gave no response save for further running. However, their leader was standing still at the other end, almost as if waiting for his chance.

"So it's just you and me kid" the man replied "I never thought I would have to use this" he ended his sentence, and drew from what Yahiko thought was a bokutō a katana.

"I can take you!" Yahiko yelled, charging forward.

His straight thrust wasn't blocked, but rather, he received a slash to his arm.

There was a moment of pain, before he realized that his attack missed.

Yahiko made a reverse slash to counter, and his sword met it's mark in the man's right kidney.

Yahiko then made a smite on the man's head, and he crumpled to the ground, falling face-first.

Yahiko cheered for a moment, when out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tsubame, peeking from behind a corner.

There was a moment of silence, as Yahiko's eyes met with Tsubame's. It was a silence that was entirely peaceful.

**Takahiro**

Standing behind Tsubame, having met while he was on his way from meeting Megumi at the bridge, he could see that she was obviously staring at something.

Stepping forward slightly, he could see that Tsubame was staring at Yahiko. It was one of those moments that seemed to baffle him.

"There you are" Kaoru's soft voice interrupted. Turning around, he noticed that they were being followed by Kaoru.

**Yahiko**

As Kaoru's voice broke the silence, he could see her, Tsubame, and Takahiro standing at the other end of the alley.

"It's not safe for a girl your age to walk home by herself" He heard Kaoru reply to Tsubame.

"I have to say Yahiko" Takahiro replied "You certainly managed to take care of those men rather easily. I am curious as to what made them run though" Takahiro's gaze then went up to the area above.

Yahiko turned around, and for a brief moment, heard the sound of slipping on shingles, before the obvious groaning of cicadas. Of course...

"Hey!" He yelled "There are no cicadas in spring!"

"Takahiro" Kaoru asked "Do you think you could walk Yahiko back to the dojo?"  
"Certainly" Kenshin's brother replied. He turned to Yahiko "I'm rather interested to hear more, Yahiko-chan"

"I told her not to!" he yelled, taking his shinai and bashing Takahiro right on the head.

"Oro?!" Takahiro yelled, before crumpling to the ground.

_**I know, it's been an incredible amount of time since my last update. However, things have been crazy, and Warlord Darnell is a bad man who needs to be stoned. So stone me and review please...**_


	8. New Age Problems

_**I'm back again. Special thanks to Kenshinotaku for reading and reviewing all of the chapters in this fic. **_

_**Now, let's get on with the show. I believe it should be time to make option of the arc with the Jinpuu Squad. Read and review with your thoughs…**_

**Chapter 8: New Age Problems**

* * *

_As Tokyo woke up, it was apparent that life was just business as usual. The Meiji government however, had internal problems, and as it turned out, things would seem to get very messy soon…..._

* * *

**Takahiro**

He woke up in his futon, and looked over at his pocketwatch. It currently read early in the morning, on Wednesday. Obviously, there would be training today.

He proceeded to get dressed, and fold up his bedding. It was going to be a long day.

When he was done, he left his room, and made his way out into the main yard of the dojo, where Kenshin-sensei was standing, with what was obviously a shovel. In addition, there were several saplings in bags.

"Today, you're going to plant trees" Kenshin announced, thrusting the spade into Takahiro's hands. "It's currently the end of spring, and if we're lucky, by next spring, we'll have fruit."

"So I'm planting trees today" Takahiro asked "Not practicing swords."

"Kaoru-dono insisted that the dojo bring in a little extra income, so this one went and purchased these trees, with Kaoru-dono's money. She was very happy, that she was."

"I guess I'll get started" Takahiro replied, withdrawing his headband, and putting it on. He took the shovel in his left hand, and picked up the tree with his right hand. The tree was incredibly heavy at the roots, and it eventually took him having to use both hands to pick it up.

Walking, he saw that the front entrance seemed a little empty. He set the tree down, and huffed a sigh.

"Now time for the digging" He replied, walking over to where he left his spade, and after retrieving it, took it back to where the tree was.

"Now here comes the hard part" He replied, taking the spade, and stabbing it into the Earth. He set his foot on the top, in order for it to sink down better. He then removed the spade-full of earth, and set it in a pile, before repeating the process.

After about ten minutes, he had a good sized hole in the ground, deep enough to set the tree in. It would be nice to see it bear fruit in a year. Considering how he was the one planting it.

He wrapped his hands around trunk, and lifted it into the hole. He then picked up his spade and began to shovel earth back onto the ball of roots.

"UNCLE KENNY!" two child's voices yelled from the entrance. Looking up, he could only say "Oro?" Before he was tackled by two little girls. One of them looked about three, and wore a red kimono with a yellow sash, and the other looked about five, and wore a green kimono with a purple sash. The three-year old had two pigtails, while the five-year-old had her hair longer and worn down.

"Come play with us Uncle Kenny" the five-year-old requested, after dragging him away.

He was carried three feet when Kenshin appeared, and the girls stopped dead in their tracks.

"Uncle Kenny?" the three-year-old asked, looking up at Kenshin, then back at Takahiro, then back Kenshin.

"Ayame, Suzume" Kenshin replied, chuckling, "I see you've met my brother, Takahiro"

"Brother?" the one in the green asked.

"This one has a brother, that I do" Kenshin replied, walking over to Takahiro, and picking him up and setting him back on his feet. "He came here three weeks ago, and has become my student. He was planting trees if I remember correctly"

"Oro?" Takahiro replied, before realizing "I was when these two showed up."

"Well Takahiro-kun" Kenshin replied "I'd like you to meet Ayame" he motioned to the one in the green "And Suzume" he motioned to the one in the red.

"Now would you like to help him plant a tree?" Kenshin asked.

"Yeah" the two replied "Let's go plant trees with Uncle Taka!"

"Let this one go get something for you two to dig with first" Kenshin replied "Why don't you go help Takahiro-kun plant the one he was working on"

"Yay!" the two yelled, running back to where the tree was.

"Oro?" Takahiro mumbled, as Kenshin-sensei walked towards the shed, and the two girls ran to the tree. "Orororo! Wait for me!" he yelled, running as fast as his sandaled feet would carry him back to the tree.

He currently saw the two picking up handfuls of soil, and dumping it in the hole. He couldn't help but notice the innocence that they both had, as they worked to fill in the hole. He smiled, realizing that life wasn't all that serious.

"Hey you two" Takahiro replied, walking up "If you push it in like this" He showed, getting on his knees, and pushing a portion of the pile into the hole "It actually fills up faster."

"I wanna try" Ayame replied, taking yet another helping of the soil, and pushing it into the hole.

"Now," Takahiro replied, noticing another area of the tree still wasn't firmly buried. He picked up the shovel "We just have to bury one more section, and we'll be all done. Do you think you could help me fill the shovel, since we can't push it over to there"

"Yeah!" the two replied "Let's help Uncle Taka out."

They both started taking handfuls of earth, and putting it in the scoop of the spade. It only took them a short amount of time to fill up the spade with the rest of the pile.

He carried the spadefull to the final spot, and filled in the hole. "Now we pack it down" he explained "Because if we don't the soil will wash away when it rains"

"Alright" the two replied, taking their hands and beginning to pat down on the soil.

Takahiro smiled, and replied "I'm going to get the next tree. Do you think you can pack the soil down nice and firm"

"We can do it uncle Taka" Ayame replied.

"Can do it" Suzume echoed.

Takahiro set down the shovel, and made his way back to where the trees were. He saw an Apple tree, this one obviously in bloom.

"I guess you're next" Takahiro replied, hefting the tree up, and walking back with it. If he recalled, it was right to the left, only ten paces away from where he planted the previous tree, that there was a perfect clearing.

"There you are Takahiro-kun" Kenshin replied, looking up from handing Ayame and Suzume garden trowels.

"I found this perfect spot for it too" Takahiro replied, walking past, and right towards the clearing. He set the tree down, and admired the packed earth for a moment, taking a mental note about what it looked like before. Somehow, it felt good planting the trees.

"Here's your shovel" Kenshin replied, thrusting the spade into Takahiro's hands. "This one is off to make some tea. Have fun"

"Oro?" Takahiro replied, before being brushed away by Ayame and Suzume, elicting another "Oro" from the man as the two little girls began to dig even more. They dug so fast, to the point where they managed to get a good-sized hole in about a minute or so.  
"Nice hole you two" Takahiro replied, noticing them beginning to get winded. "You two can rest while I finish the digging."

"We can do it" Ayame protested. "it's not that hard"

"I wish Uncle Kenny could help us" Suzume replied

"Yeah, let's get Uncle Kenny!" Ayame replied.

The two dropped their trowels, and ran inside of the dojo, kicking off their shoes and running, shouting "Uncle Kenny!"

Takahiro smiled, and returned to finishing the hole. He began to shovel spadefulls at a time, until he'd gotten a pretty decent sized example.

"Okay, okay" Kenshin's voice called out from inside of the dojo. "I guess I'll help"

A look to the left showed Kenshin being dragged by the hands by Ayame and Suzume, who were walking back outside of the dojo.

"I just finished digging" Takahiro announced "Now it's time to plant the tree"

"Yay!" the two replied, running forward, and reaching for the trunk of the sapling. They both struggled to lift it up.

"Let me help you" Takahiro replied, "Let's go," he then put his hand on the trunk "On three, we all lift" he instructed "One, two, three"

In unison, they all lifted the sapling, with Ayame and Suzume holding it from the bottom.

They guided it to the hole, and after they let go, it fell straight in, landing with a nice "DUUNK" into the hole.

"Now we bury it" Takahiro replied, taking the shovel, and pushing in some of the pile.

Ayame and Suzume pushed in the other half, and Kenshin, dumbstruck, replied "Save some for this one"

**XxxXxxX**

At high noon, they'd managed to finish planting the third tree, and were all enjoying tea in the shade of the dojo's porch.

"Let's do that again" Ayame asked "That was fun"

"Was fun" Suzume echoed.

"We'll have to get more trees next spring" Kenshin replied "That we will."

"Well there you are" Megumi's voice echoed.

Looking at the gate, Megumi could be seen walking up with a basket underneath her arm.

"Why Megumi-dono, what brings you here?" Kenshin asked.  
"I simply came to bring lunch" she replied, walking in, and setting the basket down.

"Why Megumi-dono, you didn't have to" Kenshin replied.

"I brought lunch for you" she replied, handing Kenshin a box, "You" she handed Ayame a box, "You" Suzume; "One for Yahiko" she replied, thrusting lunch into the freshly woken Kamiya Kasshin-Ryū apprentice. She paused "One for Sano" as the former fight merchant walked past, yawning. "One for Kaoru" she then trust another box into the hands of the Kamiya Kasshin-Ryū instructor. "And last but not least" she replied "One for my dear Takahiro-chan" she then gently handed him his bento.

"Arigato" Takahiro replied.

**XxxXxxX**

After everyone had finished lunch, Megumi was about to leave, when someone came rushing into the dojo. It was a man with brown hair, cut short around the front, with a beard as well. He was carrying a small child around the age of six in his hands.

"Why Sasaki-sensei, what brings you here?" Sanosuke asked.

"Is Gensai here?" the man asked. "This student needs a doctor."

"I can help with that" Megumi replied.

"You're a doctor?" the man, (Sasaki as Takahiro guessed) replied.

"She may not look like it, but she's a really good doctor" Sanosuke replied.

"Let me see him" Megumi replied, standing up, and walking over to the child. She placed her hand on his head "No signs of a fever, can you tell me what happened?"

**Later**

At the dojo, everyone waited outside of one of the rooms. Looking around, the residents of the Kamiya dojo were waiting, expectant.

Takahiro looked at the older man in stunned silence, unable to strike up a conversation.

When Megumi came out of the room, she turned to the man. The man asked "Is he going to be alright?"

"He's going to be fine" Megumi replied.

There was a collective sigh from the residents of the Kamiya dojo. They'd been hoping for good news.

"He has an upset stomach" Megumi replied "He'll need plenty of rest, and he'll be as good as new."

She motioned to the door "You can take him home with you, as long as you're careful not to wake him up."

"Thank you so much" the man replied, walking into the room, and picking up the child along with his bedsheets.

He then left the dojo, and everyone else soon began to look at Sanosuke.

"Who was he?" Kaoru asked.

"That's Sasaki" Sanosuke replied "I've seen him working out in construction crews, and in his spare time, he runs a school for the children in the slums, teaching them how to read and write."

Takahiro decided to go to get the mail, hoping to be able to at least find out if the letter he'd sent to their mother had been replied to yet. However, as he was walking to the box, he was immediately assaulted by a rolled up newspaper. "Oroooo!" he yelled, falling to the ground.

"Oh good," Kaoru replied, removing the now unrolled newsprint from Takahiro's face "The Wednesday paper came."

Takahiro watched as she scanned the headlines. "Looks like the Jinpū squad is at it again?"

"Oro? Jinpū squad?" Takahiro asked.

"They're the assassins that have been targeting officials in the Meiji government." Kaoru explained "They've been attacking at night, and have targeted corrupt officials in the government. Many of the ordinary people consider them heroes."

"I've heard of them" Sanosuke replied "They're nothing but corrupt assassins."

Takahiro got back on his feet, and decided to finish getting the mail. Looking inside of the box, he saw that there was indeed a letter, with the Himura name written in a familiar flowery calligraphy.

"I guess Mother's written back" Takahiro replied. "Onii-Sensei, there's a letter for us"

"Oro?" Kenshin replied "A letter?"

"Yes," Takahiro replied "Okā-san's written us."

"How did Mother get our address?"

"Well, I did send her a letter after I arrived." Takahiro replied "Let's open it and see what she said"


	9. Interference Meiji

_**I'm back at this. I guess Ruroken is too good of something to pass up. Considering how I have to work with the Jinpuu arc, then work on perhaps another MegumiXTakahiro Chapter, with more focus on Megumi, and perhaps then figure out how to do the Raijuta chapter. Or perhaps yet another arc, with the train and the crimson pirates. Ooh, Season 1 is too good to pass up. And then I have to do the chapters with Katsu. Man, I have my work cut out for me. Well, let's get on with the show…**_

**Chapter 9: Interference Meiji**

* * *

_That night, in the outskirts of Tokyo, there was yet another bloodied problem that the Meiji government was dealing with. It turned out, that the Jinpuu Squad had something to deal with._

* * *

**Tokyo Row**

_A place in Tokyo known for shadows, it turned out, that much of what one would think of as a slum, was a place that saw a lot of richer Meiji officials. At least in the bars. Inside of the Rows, one could find many a business that offered shady dealings on the quiet. As one Meiji official was walking down in his cheap yet fixed up home, not all was as it seemed._

**Nakamura**

_As he walked the distance from his garden, where he spent most of his evening hours, to his bedroom, he felt that it was incredibly quiet. Not even a frog would chirp during this night. There was no wind either, and the gambling establishment across the street didn't utter a peep. Something wasn't right._

_He walked into his house, and the first thing he saw, was that he was not alone. Someone in a green and blue uniform, wearing what he thought was a western soldier's cap, and carrying a katana. This wasn't police._

"_Why Konbanwa Nakamura-san" the house invader replied. "From the looks of things, you've been living a rather posh lifestyle."_

"_What is it you want?" Nakamura replied, harshness intentionally added to his voice. He didn't care if the intruder had a katana, he did not want houseguests. _

"_Why, I thought guests were to be treated with respect in our country?" the intruder replied. "Of course, why don't I introduce myself. My name is Toma, and I've come on behalf of the Jinpū squad. And I've come to kill you"_

_Nakamura gasped, and that was the last thing he did, before he saw the glint of a steel blade, and crumpled._

**Toma**

_He smiled at his accomplishment, and casually stepped out of the house, before jumping to the roof, and running back to the rest of the squad at the forest. _

_The other two were waiting, and they stood at attention, saluting their leader. _

"_The hit was a success" Toma announced "I find that our numbers are growing a bit too thin."_

"_Let's report back to the boss" the one on the right replied. "Perhaps we can find our next man afterwards"_

* * *

_With yet another bloody mess to be made, would anyone stop the Jinpuu squad. Or would the Meiji government fall apart from within?_

* * *

**Kamiya Dojo**

_With the night still young at the Dojo, it would seem that things weren't all that they seemed. Especially with the two 'guests' at the dojo having received their first piece of mail at their new address_

**Takahiro**

He opened up the envelope, and saw that in a typical move of Himura Kotone, there were at least three sheets with writing on both sides, in the flowery and artful handwriting that was found from his mother.

"It is very strange, that it is" Kenshin replied, breaking the silence.

"Well?" Kaoru asked, "What does it say?"

"It says:" Takahiro replied.

**Dear Ken-chan and Ta-chan**

**I'm so glad to hear that you're both together. I'm still mourning the loss of Hiko-san, yet obviously, the fact you're both together is great. Frankly, I don't know what to say, realizing this letter is addressed to both of you. So I'll have two different messages for the two of you. I'll start with you Ken-chan, since you're my firstborn.**

**Ken-Chan, you'd better take care of your brother, and finish training him, or all of those lessons Hiko-san gave you might as well go down the benjo. I can't imagine the many days you spent at his cottage, and to think I made my Secret-Spicy-Ramen for him. **

**Anyhow, I frankly am wondering if you'll be willing to come and visit me with the new girlfriend you've got with Kamiya Kaoru-san. I would love to know that my son is finally going to get around to giving me grandchildren. Especially considering how he's in his late twenties.**

**Ta-Chan. You'd better pay attention to Ken-chan, and listen to what he says. And I know the type of woman that Takani Megumi-bakayarou is, and she's dangerous. She may be a doctor, but they are all trouble. Remember Uncle Hiro. So you'd better. **

**Frankly, if I find out you're getting into trouble, then I'm taking the train over, and coming all of the way from Osaka to Tokyo and putting you in line. And to consider the good example you'd better set for Tomiko. **

**Sayonara **

**Himura Kotone**

Takahiro finished talking, after the signature, and realized that Kaoru had been laughing the entire time.

"What is so funny?" Kenshin asked, unable to contain the fact that he'd caught laughter from her.

"Ken-chan!" she giggled, snorting a little. "Is that really what your mother calls you?"

"That it is" Kenshin sighed "And frankly, this one realizes that it is rather embarrassing"

**The Next Day**

With the letter having been displayed to the entire population of the dojo, and more than plenty of laughs for all, the next day eventually came, after the non-Himura party laughed themselves to sleep.

Takahiro woke up with the fact that he'd need to get in uniform, for being ready to drive a rickshaw. As he walked out, sash, hat, and pouch ready, he saw someone who kind of surprised him. It was Hama.

"What are you doing here Hama-kun?" Takahiro asked, walking up to the gate.

"Didn't you hear?" Hama replied "Tanaka-sama is looking for some new backers, and is taking a hiatus on the business. I came to deliver you your last check for a while; since we both live in the same area."

Hama then proceeded to reach into his kimono, and pull out an envelope. "I'll let you know when we can go back to work, but let's just say that you should probably take it easy for a while rookie. Especially since Tanaka-sama's last backer ended up getting killed. Yet another victim of the Jinpuu squad. See you around rookie"

With that, Hama tossed Takahiro the envelope, which was promptly caught, before walking off.

"This one sees no work for a while" Kenshin replied, setting his hand on Takahiro's shoulder, and then tousling his hair, which now stood on end.

"I think I just got fired" Takahiro replied.

"Times are getting rather tough" Kenshin replied "the Economy seems to be in rather tough shape. Industry is on the rise, while service requires backing to take off. He'll let you know when you can work again."

"Yeah" Takahiro replied "And to think this is my first paycheck."

"Things will be alright" Kenshin reassured. "Let us go inside and begin breakfast, since training will begin shortly"

**Later**

_Across Tokyo, much could be said of the roofs. It was one of those places with the sloping ceilings that just seemed to make things crazy. If you wanted to try Parkour that is. _

_One hundred and forty years before the dawn of the Free-Running movement, one of the most startling scenes took place on the low skyline of Tokyo_

**Takahiro**

He'd been chasing Kenshin for a good hour already, and after crossing seven blocks of the rough end rows, around where Sagara Sanosuke technically lived. Looking down across a street as he jumped, he saw a box labeled **Sagara**, and hundreds of pieces of mail sitting in the box.

However, what he was after wasn't a letter, or anything similar. It was his green neck scarf that their mother had given him, and with Megumi's lipstick stain on it, it was a prize to be rewon. And with Kenshin at least three footsteps and a jump ahead, it was almost impossible to keep up at the rate they were going at.

Kenshin doubled around, and jumped back over Sanosuke's house, and back around the way they came.

Takahiro followed, chasing that hint of green among the red-tones, and running, jumping, and landing for his life.

Kenshin doubled back around, heading over to Fujiyama Boulevard, and across Tokyo's widest street. Kenshin jumped, hoping to land at the Akabeko's roof, and perhaps catch onto the sign, when he realized that he'd missed his jumping point on the running start, and landed right on top of a police officer with glasses

Takahiro was already in the air, and somehow, actually managed to catch onto the Akabeko's sign.

"Why Himura-san" the police officer replied, getting up, and dusting himself and Kenshin off. Kenshin looked dazed from Takahiro's point of view above everything. "What brings you from the sky?"

"This one is training his apprentice, that he is" Kenshin replied "Takahiro-kun may come down now"

Takahiro let go of the bottom of the sign, and landed on his feet.

"Why Himura-san" the police officer replied, removing his glasses and cleaning them. "I wish you'd have told me your apprentice wears a katana as well."

"Is there a problem Chief?" Kenshin asked.

"No, though a word of warning would help" the police officer, who Takahiro guessed was the chief of police. "It is nice to meet you…"

"Himura Takahiro" Takahiro replied, bowing "Anii no Kenshin"

"You never told me you had a brother Himura-san" The chief of police replied to Kenshin.

"This one you never asked" Kenshin replied.

"So what brings you to the Akabeko?" Takahiro asked.

"Lunch of course" the chief of police replied "I would love to treat you two to lunch if you want."

"Sure" Takahiro replied.

Before Kenshin could answer, his stomach did for him, growling like an angry Russian Bear. It sounded like it would eat itself.

"This one would love to have lunch." Kenshin replied.

"Then let's go inside" the Chief of Police replied.

They walked into Akabeko's, and took a seat.

**Later**

As they were finishing up the last of the beef-pot, things seemed okay. According to Kenshin, this was the happiest he'd seen the Chief of Police in a long time.

"Himura-san" the chief replied, breaking the silence that had fallen for the last five minutes.

"Oro?" Both of the Brothers Himura replied.

"Himura Kenshin" the chief corrected "I once again am in your debt for bringing down Kurogasa. However, I ask for your help once more."

"And what do you need of this one?" Kenshin asked, taking a sip of tea.

"I could use your help in dealing with the Jinpuu squad" Chief Uramura replied "They've become a problem with their murder of several high-ranking officials in the government."

"This one is unsure of being able to help" Kenshin replied "Yet I will try, that I will."

"I ask that you not speak about this." Uramura replied "I hope you would be able to help" Uramura paused "Let me pick up the check, and you two can be on your way."

* * *

_As it turned out, things wouldn't be as easy as thought in dealing with the Jinpū squad, and with the problems soon becoming their's_

* * *

**Kamiya Dojo**

_As night began to fall, it would seem that the dojo would begin to rest. However, things would definitely pick up the next day, as the residents would find out._

**Takahiro**

He woke up, and made his way to the main room after getting dressed, when he saw Kenshin chopping wood.

"Ohayo" Kenshin quipped.

"Ohayo" Takahiro plainly replied "So what's the plan for today?"

"This one is thinking of taking some time to write back Mother. It would be nice to write her, that it would" Kenshin replied "It'll be an easy day today, that it will."

"Alright" Takahiro replied "I like that."

"Yet finding you another job would be a good idea too, that it would" Kenshin replied.

"Oro?!" Takahiro commented "You're kidding"

"This one is thinking of you working construction" Kenshin explained "That way you gather much strength, and be paid whatever wage you can earn. Those dates with Megumi-dono aren't cheap"

"That they aren't" Takahiro sighed "I guess we'll go down to the construction area"

"That we will" Kenshin replied.

**Meiji Hall Construction Ground**

_The plot of land that had once been the My__ōjin farm in a former life, had been confiscated by the government to pay back taxes, and ultimately, had a new destiny. The three acres would become host to a museum of the Revolution, Meiji Era, and Bakufu. It would become a great museum that generations would go to._

_However, right now, it was neither farm nor museum, but a construction site. With the muscled tones of workers, there would be not much to intimidate the former hitokiri and his apprentice as they walked down._

**Takahiro**

Takahiro spotted Sasaki, and before he could even wave, the two were greeted by the foreman.

The foreman was a tall man who would make Sanosuke look short. He had short, spiky hair, and held whatever was there back with a headband. He had the most intimidating air about him also.

"Welcome" The foreman replied, breaking a toothy grin, showing off the missing teeth, and laughing, breaking the intimidation factor he had going. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Hai" Kenshin replied "This one has an apprentice, who is in need of cultivating physical strength. If there is a way he could have a part-time job, it would be most helpful to his training."

"Is that so" the foreman replied, laughing "I guess I can help you there. My name is Kainosuke, and I'm going to be your new boss" He turned to Takahiro "what is your name?"

"My name is Takahiro" the Anii of the Battōsai replied "I'm looking forward to working"

"Well" Kainosuke replied "If you pick up a spade, we could use a trench to lay down the concrete for the foundation. It just needs to be along those twine survey lines."

"sure thing" Takahiro replied, taking a spade that was lying on a stone, and walking over to the line.

"New guy" a worker shouted.

Takahiro looked up, and saw that it was Sasaki "If you'll be able to help out with digging the foundation, we'd really be glad. Just let me know if there are any rocks that need breaking."

"Sure thing" Takahiro replied, taking the shovel, and removing spade-fulls of earth. He then noticed that someone with a wheelbarrow was following him, and motioned for him to place the earth in the wheelbarrow. Takahiro happily obliged, and before long, he'd already dug out about three cubic feet of dirt. He'd had yet to encounter his first stone, and before long, had gone up to six cubic feet.

"This is fun" Takahiro replied, taking the earth spade-full by spade-full at a time. However, by the time noon had come around, he'd had a different idea.

It was hot, and he wanted water so badly.

"Alright" Kainosuke announced "Break time"

Takahiro noticed that there were pallets of onigiri for all of the workers, consisting of four packages each. He was glad, since it was hungry work doing all of that digging.

He picked up the package, and tore into it, eating the rice-balls hungrily.

He then noticed that Sasaki was talking to some strangely uniformed man in the woods nearby, and if he listened past his coworkers, he caught wind of a strange conversation.

"Sasaki-sama" the uniformed man replied "I remember our days at the dojo in Kyoto. I wanted to join you so bad. Now that I have my own team, I'm asking if you'll join me"

"Toma" Sasaki replied "I repeat, I decline. I've moved past holding a sword now. I've started a new life."

"But Sasaki-sensei" Toma replied "Certainly you can…."

"I repeat, I decline. Now I have work to do"

"Of course" (Pause) "Yet be warned, when the Jinpuu squad wants something to happen, it will."

"I repeat once again, I decline"

At that, the conversation was ended, and Takahiro went back to his food. He couldn't believe that the Jinpū squad was actually after someone he knew. He had so much to tell Onii-sensei when he got back. So much to tell everyone. He only wished it didn't come down on Sasaki-san.


End file.
